Reunited
by MegEvans1983
Summary: Meg goes to ‘The Casita’ and finds Ben and Maria’s things there and everything looking like they were together there at Meg’s house. On top of that Meg has found out that she’s pregnant. Will she abort or not?


Reunited  
  
A Fan Fiction By Susanne  
  
Chapter 1 - Bittersweet Memories  
  
Meg had been walking on the beach for hours thinking about what Tyus had just confirmed for her. She was 1 month pregnant. And of course it was Ben's child. Not only had she been thinking about what Tyus had told her, but also about what she had seen at 'The Casita' earlier that day. She'd seen Ben and Maria's things all thrown over the little house, which he'd bought for her. Ben and Maria had reunited at her house.  
  
Meg: "Ben would never hurt me like that, there has got to be some kind of explanation as to why 'The Casita' looked like it did." She told herself as she walked to her spot underneath 'The South Shore Pier'.  
  
Meg suddenly began to remember the evening where Ben and her had been in their bedroom and about to leave with Maria to The Dominican Republic so that Ben could divorce Maria and then Ben and her would travel onto Venice, Italy to get married. They'd been in their bedroom, where Ben had discovered her trying on her veil.  
  
*** FLASHBACK ***  
  
Ben: "I remember the first time I saw you in that veil. You were walking down the aisle towards me. And I felt this... I don't know, indescribable happiness, as if all my dreams had come true all at once."  
  
Meg: "I felt the same way."  
  
Ben: "Well, they hadn't, at least not until tonight."  
  
Meg: "I love the sound of that."  
  
Ben: "We're gonna have everything we were supposed to have, Meg. All of it..."  
  
Meg: "Yes, we will. And nothing is gonna get in our way."  
  
Ben: "You know it just occurred to me -- something is not quite right about your ensemble here."  
  
Meg: "Oh, oh, really?"  
  
Ben: "Yeah, something's missing."  
  
Meg: "And what would that be?"  
  
Ben: "These?" He asked picking up the pearls.  
  
Meg: "These are my pearls."  
  
Ben: "Well, they did symbolize my promise to marry you, a promise I am finally gonna make good on."  
  
Meg: "You know, I cannot believe that this is finally happening."  
  
Ben: "Well, believe it, because this time tomorrow, give or take a few hours, we're gonna be husband and wife."  
  
*** FLASHBACK ***  
  
Meg: "And then Benjy & Tess showed up and ruined everything for Ben and me to be happy together. How can anyone expect him to choose my baby and me over Benjy & Maria? He won't do that to Benjy. No! The best thing is for Ben not to know that I'm carrying our baby. He needs to concentrate on Benjy & Maria." She told herself, rubbing her stomach reverently.  
  
She could still remember another conversation they'd had that evening. They'd talked about building a family together. She'd felt so happy about his thoughts of her being the mother of their children.  
  
*** FLASHBACK ***  
  
Ben: "It's not every day you get to go on a honeymoon. And who knows, next time we go on holiday it might not be just the two of us if you know what I mean. I don't mean your mother or Sara by the way."  
  
Meg: "You want to start a family?"  
  
Ben: "Well, I've always wanted to be a father. Now, later, whenever. As long as it's with you." Meg: "You know, you always surprise me bringing up things like starting a family."  
  
Ben: "Well, I mean, it is something we both want one day."  
  
Meg: "No, I, I, I know that, you know, it just seems so distant, I guess."  
  
Ben: "Look, what I'm suggesting is that it doesn't necessarily have to be so distant."  
  
Meg: "How amazing would that be a baby!"  
  
Ben: "We could... Well, we could give everything to our child, Meg."  
  
Meg: "Okay, sold. Let's go make one right now...or later!" She groaned as the doorbell rang.  
  
*** FLASHBACK ***  
  
And things had turned out that way, because after Benjy & Tess had showed up on Ben & Meg's doorstep, Meg had started to feel funny. She'd had an upset stomach for some time and she couldn't find any other explanation than that she was pregnant. She'd been alone in the house, so it had been the perfect time to take a pregnancy test. Tess, Maria & Benjy were out somewhere and Ben was working late at the office.  
  
*** FLASHBACK ***  
  
Meg had just dressed herself in her pink nightdress along with her pink robe and with her hair in a French twist and was awaiting the results of the pregnancy test she'd taken an hour ago. The pregnancy stick was lying on the bathroom counter on some towels, just waiting to either enrich or destroy her life. She knew it was terrible to think that way about something Ben and her had made, but the timing could not be any worse.  
  
Suddenly she heard the front door close and instead of Benjy or Maria or Tess talking, then someone threw his set of keys on the counter in the livingroom and it didn't take much from Meg to guess that that person was Ben.  
  
Meg: "What is he doing home now? He isn't supposed to be here yet!" She fretted while placing the pregnancy stick in her drawer in the bathroom counter.  
  
Ben: "Darling? Are you up here?" He yelled, as he opened the door to their bedroom.  
  
Meg: "Yeah.I'll be out in a minute love!" She yelled back, making sure she wasn't flustered and placed her hand on the doorknob and went into the bedroom to Ben.  
  
Ben was totally amazed at how sexy she looked in that old get up of hers. He'd just discarded with his jacket and shoes and socks before she'd entered the bedroom.  
  
Ben: "What's the occasion?" He asked in his best sexy British accent.  
  
Meg: "No occasion, I just felt like taking a shower and I'm really beat, so I chose this.!" She said, rubbing her hands up the edges' of the robe.  
  
Ben: "Do you have any idea of how absolutely gorgeous you look?" He asked, concentrating on the amount of cleavage he was seeing.  
  
Meg: "What are you doing home?" She asked, going to the bed and turning the covers down.  
  
Ben: "Well.Good day to you too!" He joked, which made Meg realize how her tone had been.  
  
Meg: "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to snap at you." She immediately apologized as she made her way to stand in front of Ben again.  
  
Ben: "It's OK! I just didn't feel like hearing A.J., Annie and Gregory arguing about who'd shot Francesca Vargas."  
  
Meg: "Are they still going on with that?"  
  
Ben: "Like never before. Where are Benjy, Maria & Tess?" He asked, noticing the quietness of the house.  
  
Meg: "Maria & Tess needed to try and get in touch with each other again and Benjy wanted to have some pizza, so I'm guessing they're all at a pizza place."  
  
Ben: "So.We're all alone? Huh?" He asked, nodding his head towards the bed.  
  
Meg: "Yeah.I suppose so.!" She smiled at him knowing exactly what he was implying.  
  
Ben: "Come here.!" He said, sitting down on the bed and patting the place next to him.  
  
Meg: "Ben.?!" She groaned, wanting to be intimate with him, but remembering the pregnancy test in the other room and the fact that when they started to make love, they didn't stop for hours.  
  
Ben: "Please.!" He pouted, and Meg gave in, going to him and sitting next to him on the bed. Ben placed his hands around Meg's throat as they began to kiss passionately with their tongues - playing catch. Ben then laid Meg down on the bed and began to take bites of her neck and soon they were lost in their love for one another.  
  
Later that evening after Ben had fallen asleep Meg got out of bed and put on her robe and walked out into the bathroom. She opened up the drawer and took the pregnancy stick out of it and closed it once again. She closed her eyes, while placing the stick in front of her eyes and the only thing she uttered when she saw the color apparent on the stick was  
  
Meg: "Oh my God! I'm going to be a mother!!" She rubbed her stomach again, realizing just what her and Ben's love had brought with it.  
  
*** FLASHBACK ***  
  
Chapter 2 - Meg's Secret  
  
Meg was so bewildered because she didn't know what to do anymore or who to turn to anymore that she didn't notice Casey coming up behind her. She was startled out of her mind when Casey placed his hand on her shoulder and said  
  
Casey: "Meg?!" She turned around immediately and asked her best friend  
  
Meg: "Casey!! What in the world are you doing here?"  
  
Casey: "I could ask you the very same thing. Meg? What's up with you?"  
  
Meg: "I don't know what you're talking about Casey." She hedged the question, drying away some tears she didn't even know she'd cried and walked to a post and sat down with her back against it.  
  
Casey: "I think you do know. Something has to be wrong since you're down here, alone and crying."  
  
Meg: "I've been like this the past couple of weeks now Casey, what makes you think anything's different that usual?"  
  
Casey: "Maybe because I know you're not with Ben anymore and the fact that I can see that you're very close to a complete and utterly breakdown."  
  
Meg: "Since when did you become an expert on how I feel and think?"  
  
Casey: "Since.Let me think now. Since January 7th 1997 to be exact." He smiled at her.  
  
Meg: "That was the date of my supposed wedding to Tim and the day I decided to go and find S.B. and also the day where I fell off the pier and you and Michael saved me from drowning." She smiled sadly remembering.  
  
Casey: "Exactly! And you were right coming here you know."  
  
Meg: "Was I though?" She asked insecure.  
  
Casey: "Off course you were. You've got a ton of friends. Michael, Vanessa, Gabi, Ricardo, Antonio, Sara and me of course."  
  
Meg: "I know I've been neglecting you guys these past couple of weeks, there's just been so much going on." She apologized Meg - like.  
  
Casey: "Meg! None of us blame you for having been somewhat preoccupied these past weeks with both Benjy, Maria & Tess living with Ben and you. You have to STOP beating yourself up."  
  
Meg: "I know.I've just always been a person who was with my friends all the time. I mean.When is the last time I've been to the movies? I can't even remember anymore. I hate myself for saying this but being away from my friends, makes me hate the people I've been spending time with. And I don't just mean Maria & Tess, I also mean Ben & Benjy. God! I'm such an awful person!!" She yelled burying her head in her arms. Casey touched her arm and said softly  
  
Casey: "You're not at all awful Meg. It's just been some heavy stuff you've been hit with. I mean just finding out that Maria was alive was bad enough, but then to go and find out that Ben & Maria are parents to Benjy - a boy you guys didn't even know about a couple of months ago. It's understandable." He assured her kindly.  
  
Meg: "What did I ever do to deserve such a wonderful person in my life like you?" She asked looking at him with sad, blue eyes.  
  
Casey: "You didn't do anything. Besides like I'm there for you, you're there for me too." Meg: "I've told you my reasons for being here, what about yours?" She asked him.  
  
Casey: "It isn't that important." He hedged her question.  
  
Meg: "It must be if you're down here, alone and without my annoying sister along side with you. You're always letting me cry on your shoulder, let me return the favor just this once, Case.!"  
  
Casey: "OK! Do you remember when you thought that Ben & Maria were getting back together again, after she'd just remembered some of her missing years, and Sara and I were taking you to Palm Springs to get your mind off it?"  
  
Meg: "Yeah.And Ben and I found each other in stead. But.Sara and you had car troubles, right?" She asked slightly remembering.  
  
Casey: "My car trouble was Sara."  
  
Meg: "Excuse me? Are you saying that Sara arranged it so that I'd be stranded on a high way and you guys didn't go anywhere? How?"  
  
Casey: "With a little help from our dear Mr. Tim Truman. Apparently Sara was so insecure about our friendship even back then, that she plotted with Tim, so that he'd be with you instead of us that night, but instead you hooked up with Ben." He explained.  
  
Meg: "How could she hurt us this much? And with Tim of all people?"  
  
Casey: "I gave those same words to her, just before I left her at 'Surf Central' - alone. I can't even believe it now. I mean, this was the woman I was supposed to be with for the rest of my life. I loved her Meg, I thought she was the one." Just then Ben was standing on the stairs leading down to where Casey & Meg were sitting. He had just heard Casey talking and he knew that it had to be with Meg he was talking. They'd been inseparable ever since Benjy & Tess had showed up on their doorstep. After his meeting in San Francisco today, he'd been restless and he needed desperately to hold his Megan in his arms and hear her say that she loved him and would never leave him and that they'd be together forever and ever. He made his way down the stairs and stopped behind a wall, staying out of Casey & Meg's vision when Meg suddenly started talking  
  
Meg: "Trust me.I know exactly how it feels. I saw something today that also blew me away. I haven't told you this but I saw Ben & Maria driving away together earlier today. Tess had a big smile on her face when she spotted me and I can only guess why. Ben & Maria are back together again. I just know it." She said silently, deciding not to tell Casey she was pregnant, the fewer people who knew, the better.  
  
Ben: "What in God's name is Tess planning? I didn't take Maria anywhere but to the airport and then back to the house again!!" Ben thought to himself silently.  
  
Casey: "You've got to be mistaken Meg. Ben wouldn't do that to you, not after everything you've been through with him. You guys are meant to be!"  
  
Meg: "That might have been true before Benjy turned up along with Tess on our door step. Ben and I haven't been close like we used to and I think that the reason for that is because I've come to realize that what Ben & Maria share because of Benjy is stronger than anything I've ever had with Ben."  
  
Casey: "You can't be serious Meg! You and Ben have gotten back together again a million times over, you'll be together again this time too, I know it!"  
  
Meg: "I'm glad you're so sure about that Casey, but I'm not. I just keep on thinking about how close I came to loose him, when Maria remembered their years together and now with a son - how can Ben not choose Benjy & Maria? They're his family, the only REAL family he's had for a very long time. I can't take that away from him, especially considering how important my family is to me."  
  
Casey: "So.You're letting Ben go?" He asked amazed by her unselfishness.  
  
Meg: "Yes! I'm letting Ben go, so that he can have the family he's always dreamt about. His family with Benjy & Maria. We were kidding ourselves when we thought that Benjy would come around to liking me. That'll never happen, because he knows how a real family is built up. There's the daddy, the mommy and the children. And those people in the Evans' family is Ben, Maria & Benjy - for now."  
  
Casey: "You really have made up your mind haven't you?"  
  
Meg: "Yes, I have. I know better than anyone what Ben needs and it isn't me, it's the first love of his life and their son, who's the proof of that. I really can't talk anymore about this!"  
  
Casey: "It's OK! I know how tough it's been on you these past couple of weeks."  
  
Meg: "Oh! Before I forget.We were actually talking about Sara and you before I interrupted with all of my baggage once more. Will you do me one final favor?!"  
  
Casey: "Sure! Name it." Meg: "Walk me home to my parents and go back to 'Surf Central' and talk it through with her."  
  
Casey: "Meg?"  
  
Meg: "Please Case. I don't want to be the reason for the two of you to loose something it takes others a lifetime to find."  
  
Casey: "OK! I promise to talk to her, tonight or in the morning. How is that?"  
  
Meg: "Good!! Let's go." She smiled at him, as he stood up and pulled her up from the cold sand and the two friends walked with linked arms to a stairwell, which led them up from the pier.  
  
Ben walked to where Casey & Meg had been standing and touched the place where Meg's back had been against.  
  
Ben: "You couldn't be more wrong love! I don't want Maria to be my family, all I want is you. But why do you always have to let Casey in on what you're feeling? That's my job. Why can't you just for once, let me help you through our own problems?"  
  
Ben had always seen Casey as Meg's best friend, but a part of him also dreaded that there was more behind it, like Sara had insinuated earlier today at 'The Mission'. OK, so Sara didn't always see the truth when it came to Casey & Meg, but she was right on the fact that Meg always came to Casey instead of him.  
  
Ben: "I can't stay down here all night, it looks as if it's about to start pouring down. I need to be by myself for some time and figure out what to do to make Meg see it my way." He said to himself as he walked towards 'The Deep'.  
  
Back at 'Surf Central' Sara had packed her bags and was on her way out of the house her and Casey had decided to live together in.  
  
Sara: "How is it that I always manage to screw everything up?!" She asked herself.  
  
Chapter 3 - Tomorrow Is Here  
  
Casey & Meg were nearing Hank & Joan's house, and they'd just walked onto 'The Gazeebo'.  
  
Casey: "That didn't take long now did it?"  
  
Meg: "No. It sure didn't. Are you still going to keep your promise to me?"  
  
Casey: "What promise is that?" He asked stupidly, trying to avoid the subject of Sara.  
  
Meg: "You know about what! Casey! My sister loves you, no matter what she's done to your relationship and your trust. I can actually feel Sara about some of the things."  
  
Casey: "Excuse me? Do you actually believe that I'm in love with you?"  
  
Meg: "Of course not. I only said some of the things. I just know how it feels like to always have felt second best in connection with some other person."  
  
Casey: "Maria?!" He guessed correctly.  
  
Meg: "Yes. I mean.Everyone likes her, and I knew that when I came back to Sunset Beach after having left after the cave in where Ben and I were trapped, and I knew that I'd never be able to compete against her. And to know now that Ben has gone back to her just makes it all the more worse."  
  
Casey: "I'm sorry about that." He apologized on Ben's behalf.  
  
Meg: "It's all right, you didn't sleep with Maria at 'The Casita'."  
  
Casey: "Excuse me? Did Ben take Maria to your house in the desert?"  
  
Meg: "I haven't told you this before, but earlier today I overheard Tess telling Benjy, that Ben had taken his mommy to my house in the desert to work things out and I went there not believing what I'd just heard.  
  
Casey: "And what did you find?"  
  
Meg: "Their clothes all over the place, champagne, a gardenia, Ben's links and last but certainly not least condom wrappers." She sighed unhappily.  
  
Casey: "I'm so sorry. Do you need me to walk you inside?"  
  
Meg: "No, if you don't mind I'd like to stay here for some time. I'm not actually looking forward to seeing my dad and telling him that he's been right all along considering Ben & Maria." She replied, sitting down on the bench, which was placed on 'The Gazeebo'.  
  
Casey: "Will you be all right here by yourself? I mean.I can stay until you're ready to go on in." He told her, wanting her to feel wanted with him.  
  
Meg: "No. I'd rather just be by myself until I feel like going inside. But thanks though.!"  
  
Casey: "No problem. I'll talk to you later then. Bye!" He kissed her goodbye on the cheek and went off 'The Gazeebo'.  
  
Meg: "See you Case!" She told him, while she watched him walk away from 'The Gazeebo'".  
  
Meg sat in 'The Gazeebo', and began remembering some good times with Ben. The event, which constantly came back to her mind, was the time where he'd surprised her with a set of keys for 'The Casita' for her valentine days present.  
  
*** FLASHBACK ***  
  
Meg: "I cannot believe you. You actually brought me back here."  
  
Ben: "Well, I figured it had so much meaning for us we ought to pay it another visit."  
  
Meg: "I'm so happy we ran into each other on the road yesterday, that our cars wouldn't start, that we found this house."  
  
Ben: "We found each other? Well, this is where it happened. Right here. This is where I looked into those beautiful eyes of yours and knew it was you I loved, and knew it was you I had to be with."  
  
Meg: "You have no idea how much I've wanted to hear you say that."  
  
Ben: "Yeah, well, I only wish circumstances had enabled me to be that clear sooner. I could have saved you all those weeks of worry..."  
  
Meg: "Look, we are together now and that's all that matters."  
  
Ben: "Thanks to a very romantic "casita"."  
  
Meg: "It is pretty romantic, isn't it?"  
  
Ben: "Yeah, that's why I bought it for you."  
  
Meg: "You what?" Ben: "Happy Valentine's Day."  
  
Meg: "Ben, I cannot believe you did this."  
  
Ben: "Well, now we can come here whenever we like, remind ourselves how much we have and how close we came to losing it."  
  
Meg: "I love you."  
  
Ben: "Thank God you still do."  
  
*** FLASHBACK ***  
  
Meg came back to the present when she could feel the rain making her hair and skin wet.  
  
Meg: "Great! Just what I need. To catch ammonia." She laughed in spite of the pain in her heart over the painful choice she was left to make by herself, considering the baby's father was back with his wife - the only wife he'd ever had; Maria Torres Evans.  
  
Joan was standing in the kitchen and noticed that it had begun to rain.  
  
Joan: "Oh no!! The paper! Hank is going to throw a fit if he has to read it soaked. I'd better go and get it inside the house." She walked to the window and she could see Meg sitting on the bench in 'The Gazeebo' and uttered  
  
Joan: "MEGGIE!!??" She ran from the house and to 'The Gazeebo' and placed her hand on Meg's shoulder, asking  
  
Joan: "Meg? What has happened? Is it Ben?" Meg just looked at her mother, teary eyed, crying  
  
Meg: "I've lost him this time mom!" She cried, going into Joan's embrace for comfort and love.  
  
Joan: "It's OK sweetheart. Let's get you inside so that you can dry off. Come on sweetie." She took Meg's hand in her own as they made their way inside the house.  
  
Meg: "I'm sorry for being such a burden mom!" She apologized as Joan got the guest room ready for Meg to sleep in.  
  
Joan: "You're my daughter Meggie and you will always be welcome here at your dad's and my house because you're family, no matter if you're living with Ben or at 'Surf Central'. OK?"  
  
Meg: "I love you mom!" She hugged her mother tightly before going underneath the covers, and after Joan had kissed her goodnight and shut the lights off, she slowly fell asleep.  
  
Meg awoke the next morning to the feeling of someone's hand on her back. As on a reflex she asked  
  
Meg: "Ben??!!"  
  
Joan: "No baby. It's mom. You've spent the night at home. Don't you remember?" She asked her eldest daughter worried.  
  
Meg: "Oh, I remember all right. Good morning mom." She said, smiling sadly and hugging her mother tightly.  
  
Joan: "Are you sure you don't want to talk about what happened last night Meggie?" She asked hating her daughter to be so sad.  
  
Meg: "Why don't I get myself together and then I'll meet you downstairs in a couple of minutes?" She asked her mother smiling.  
  
Joan: "OK! I'll be downstairs if you need me." She said before kissing Meg on the forehead and disappearing downstairs.  
  
Meg could only think back to what had brought her to her mom and dad's house last night.  
  
*** FLASHBACK ***  
  
Casey: "You can't be serious Meg! You and Ben have gotten back together again a million times over, you'll be together again this time too, I know it!"  
  
Meg: "I'm glad you're so sure about that Casey, but I'm not. I just keep on thinking about how close I came to loose him, when Maria remembered their years together and now with a son - how can Ben not choose Benjy & Maria? They're his family, the only REAL family he's had for a very long time. I can't take that away from him, especially considering how important my family is to me."  
  
*** FLASHBACK ***  
  
Meg got herself out of bed and gathered her hair in a ponytail and put on her bathrobe and looked at herself in the mirror seeing the path of her tears.  
  
Meg: "You can do this Meg. You just have to get through today!" She urged herself on, as she went downstairs.  
  
Chapter 4 - Family Ties Are Forever  
  
When Meg entered the kitchen she could immediately smell the freshly made pancakes together with fresh brewed coffee - Kansas style.  
  
Meg: "Something smells great!" Meg exclaimed as she sat down at the table opposite her dad.  
  
Hank: "Good morning darling."  
  
Meg: "Good morning dad." She answered his greeting afraid he'd get into what had happened last night with Ben and Maria.  
  
Hank: "Your mother just finished telling me we have 2 daughters living at home now." He said placing the day's paper on the table.  
  
Meg: "What? Is Sara also living here?"  
  
Joan: "I thought you knew that sweetie. Casey and her broke up last night."  
  
Meg: "I knew they split up, but not that she'd given up so easily."  
  
Hank: "I can't speak for Sara, but I think that Ben and your split up was for the best. You need someone else and more in your league sweetheart."  
  
Meg: "What??!!"  
  
Joan: "Hank!! How could you?!"  
  
Hank: "How could I? If it hadn't been for that idiot we'd probably all be living in Ludlow right now, without all these Californian problems."  
  
Meg: "Then I guess you finally agree with Maria then, huh?"  
  
Joan: "Maria? What do you mean sweetie."  
  
Meg: "I found Ben and Maria's stuff at 'The Casita' last night."  
  
Hank: "Honey, I'm sorry."  
  
Meg: "Are you??!!" She asked angrily.  
  
Joan: "Meg! Your father is being sincere."  
  
Meg: "Is he? He's always had a major problem with Ben and my relationship. How can I possibly know that you don't feel liberated of what happened last night??"  
  
Joan: "Sweetheart, no matter how your dad feels about Ben, then he wouldn't hurt you like that for anyone. I can hardly believe that Ben would do something like that to you."  
  
Meg: "Well, he did." She said going into her mothers embrace. Joan could suddenly feel that Meg had gained some weight around her stomach area. She had her suspicions but didn't want to say something in front of Hank.  
  
Joan: "Sweetheart, why don't you go to work and I'll stay and talk to Meg and Sara?" She asked Hank over Meg's head.  
  
Hank: "Sure." He walked to Meg and kissed her on the top of her head before going out of the house.  
  
Joan: "Meg? Are you pregnant?" She asked her daughter.  
  
Meg: "Pregnant? What makes you think that?" She asked worried her mother had figured out her secret.  
  
Joan: "Well, a lot actually. The way you just went off at your father and the fact that I could feel that you've gained some weight in your stomach area when I just hugged you. Meg? Is it true? Am I about to become a grand mother?" Meg looked at her mother with teary eyes and answered honestly  
  
Meg: "Yes!" Her mother hugged her saying  
  
Joan: "We'll help you with anything you need. That little baby will be such a precious gift. I just can't believe that Ben would deceive you, knowing you were carrying his child."  
  
Meg: "There's actually a very good and rational reason as to why he did it. He doesn't know I'm pregnant. I tried so badly when we were together to tell him but there never was a good time."  
  
Joan: "There wont be one, unless you make one. You are going to tell him, aren't you?"  
  
Meg: "I don't know mom. Ben has hurt me way too deep this time and I just don't know if I can manage to be with him again and especially not when there's another person to think about! Besides I don't even know if I'm going to keep the baby." She said rubbing her stomach reverently.  
  
Joan: "WHAT? Meggie.I don't want you to go rushing into something like an abortion. Think it thoroughly through before you make your final decision. Don't you think you need to talk to your sister? You need each other and you both know it. You're both more stubborn than what's good for you and I know you're hurt by what she did, but try to see it from her perspective honey. She has always felt like she couldn't measure up to you."  
  
Meg: "So Sara told you about what she did to Casey, Ben and me?"  
  
Joan: "Yes she did. No matter what she did then she is your sister and she always will be. Can't you at least try to get along with her? If not for your dad or me or for yourself then for your unborn baby. That child will need an aunt. And nobody will qualify for that part better than Sara." She begged Meg.  
  
Meg: "I promise to think about it." She said kissing her mother on the cheek and heading upstairs.  
  
When Meg returned back downstairs she could see Sara standing, looking out of the window in the livingroom. Sara turned around because she could see Meg's reflection in the window.  
  
Sara: "Meg? How are you doing? Mom told me about you spending the night!"  
  
Meg: "I'm OK I think, but what I'm more interested in knowing is all about your working with Tim, to keep Casey & me apart. I just don't get how you could work with him, when you knew that all he wanted was to keep Ben and me apart?"  
  
Sara: "That's just it Meg. I wasn't thinking though. I just wanted Casey to only have eyes for me."  
  
Meg: "Casey does not have any romantic feelings for me Sara. And even if he did, then I wouldn't let him live them out with me. You have to at least believe that. I would never do anything like that to hurt you - You're my sister, you're family." She smiled at Sara.  
  
Sara: "I know. Can you ever forgive me?" She said going into Meg's embrace.  
  
Meg: "Of course I can. On one condition, though." That sentence made Sara go out of Meg's embrace asking  
  
Sara: "What?"  
  
Meg: "I want you to go to Casey and work it out. I know you guys better than anyone, and I know that you were made for each other."  
  
Sara: "OK! If I go to see Casey, then you go to see Ben. Deal?!"  
  
Meg: "NO!!!!" She exclaimed backing away from her sister.  
  
Sara: "What is it Meg? What did I say?"  
  
Meg: "There's something you don't know Sara."  
  
Sara: "Like what?"  
  
Meg: "Like the fact that I went to 'The Casita' after having overheard Benjy & Tess saying that Ben had taken Maria there. I went there and I found several of their belongings thrown all over the place - at my house." She said crying a little.  
  
Sara: "Oh Meg! I can't believe that idiot would do that to you." She tried to comfort Meg.  
  
Meg: "Well he did, and that's not all."  
  
Sara: "What else is there?"  
  
Meg: "Sara? I'm pregnant."  
  
Sara: "Huh? Pregnant? Oh my God!! That's great news. Congratulations Sis!!" She hugged Meg tightly.  
  
Meg: "Is it?" She asked wonderingly, and that comment made Sara back out of their embrace and looked into Meg's eyes asking her  
  
Sara: "You're not thinking about having an abortion done, are you Meg?" Meg: "No, yes, oh I don't know what I'm thinking about having done. All I know is that I can't raise a child on my own and Ben has made it very clear that he doesn't want to have anything to do with me anymore."  
  
Sara: "But if you do that, then you'll be doing the same thing to Ben with your baby, that Maria did to him with Benjy. How about just going to Ben and try and get him to explain his actions."  
  
Meg: "I can't see him right now, I need some time for myself and neither will you!!" She replied.  
  
Sara: "Meg.All I've ever wanted for you was to be happy, and I just can't see how that can happen if you shut Ben out of your life and have an abortion of your baby!" She argued.  
  
Meg: "Like I said before Sara, then I don't know if I'm going to have that abortion done, but I do know that Ben doesn't care for me like he used to do. And I can't live with a man, whose heart is somewhere else." She argued right back at her sister.  
  
Sara: "OK! I'll butt out. But.Swear to me that you'll think this through before taking any kind of action!" The 2 sisters' looked at each other with honesty and trust and Sara knew that that was Meg's 'yes'.  
  
Chapter 5 - Attacked By Annie  
  
Meg had just arrived at 'Surf Central' after having said goodbye to her mother and sister. She was glad about her and Sara having worked out their problems and now it seemed like they were really sisters like the good old times in Kansas. But what she'd witnessed yesterday at 'The Casita' still hurt her terribly, never the less because everything she'd gone through living in that house with Benjy, Maria & Tess didn't had to have happened if Ben truly did love Maria. But most of all she just wanted to disappear or go back to Kansas and have her baby and raise her baby there, but she also knew that she was just running away from her problems but secondly she also knew that where ever she would go, Ben would find her. She was pulled out of her reverie by a knock on the door. She went to answer it and found Annie on the other side.  
  
Meg: "What do you want Annie?"  
  
Annie: "To give you back for everything you've done to Maria." She replied as she made her way into the livingroom at 'Surf Central' - uninvited.  
  
Meg: "Everything I've done to her?? What about what she has done to me? Or better yet, what you have done to me with your little sick games?"  
  
Annie: "Everything you've gotten, you've deserved!"  
  
Meg: "I haven't deserved any of this."  
  
Annie: "Oh yes you have. You tried to get Ben Evans for your husband but that didn't work now did it? All it did was make Ben see how much he really loves Maria."  
  
Meg: "What the hell are you talking about now?"  
  
Annie: "I'm talking about Ben and Maria being together and perhaps making a little brother or sister for Benjy!" Annie threw in her face. The next thing Annie knew Meg had slapped her.  
  
Annie: "What the hell did you do that for?" She was surprised that Meg was bothered so much by what she'd said, because all she knew was that Ben & Maria were living in the same house as Benjy & Tess now. They hadn't been intimate or had they?  
  
Meg: "To make you see, that nothing you could ever have to say about Ben or Maria would interest me one bit. I am finished with Ben and Maria. And I would really appreciate it if you would leave me alone too!" Meg screamed at her.  
  
Annie: "I don't think so missy. I am here on Maria's behalf to send you to your grave. You wont ever have anyone to love you or someone to love."  
  
Meg: "Look who's talking? The only man you've ever had a relationship with is Gregory Richards; a murderer. You have hurt everyone in your path to get him. They really don't make them like you anymore Annie. And do you know why they don't do that? Because you are pure evil! First you try every trick in the book to get Ben for yourself and when that doesn't work you trap me in a cave and almost kill me. Then when you got bored with Ben and me you moved on to Gregory, Olivia, Caitlin, Cole and Sean. In other words "The Richards Clan". Then to get your Liberty Stock you steal Olivia's baby making it look like she drank again and had a miscarriage when in real life you took her baby away from her at a deserted cabin. And then to make matters even worse you take Gregory and Olivia's baby and you give it to Caitlin to pass it of as Cole and hers. You then marry Gregory to save your stocks and then you find out that Gregory knew all about your little plan the entire time you were making him "fall" for you. And later on you betray your best friend in the entire world by keeping her true identity a secret from her. With some help from my ex - fiancé Tim Truman! And now you show up here preaching about Ben and Maria's endless love, the love you tried to break every chance you got from when there had been a ceremony of her death. You are the most evil and vindictive SLUT I have ever met! And if you don't get the hell out of this house right now I'm going to kill you. Get out!! NOW!!!!!!" Meg screamed at the top of her lungs.  
  
Annie: "How dare you talk to me like that? I can tell you this. You're going down. Right now!" Annie screamed and lunged out for her and they ended up on the floor; Annie on top of Meg.  
  
Meanwhile at 'The Deep' Ben had been surprised by Maria's visit and when they'd begun to discuss Ben's relationship with Meg, he'd lost it and yelled at her, which had strangely enough led to him and Maria kissing very passionately and made them end up on his couch at 'The Deep' having quick, not - satisfying sex. Ben had regretted it the moment he'd come to his senses about what he'd done to his and Meg's relationship.  
  
Ben: "I don't quite know how to explain this to you. What just happened was not right! I was not acting like I should have. I know that you still have feelings for me, but I still have very, very deep feelings for Meg. I know that you must hate me right now."  
  
Maria: "Off course I don't hate you Ben! I needed you just as much as you needed me and I think we both took advantage of each other. You, because you were hurting about Casey and Meg being there for each other all the time and me because I needed to be with you again anyway possible."  
  
Ben: "I just don't want you to start thinking that there might be a chance for us to be more than good friends who happens to have a son together."  
  
Maria: "And I don't. I have always known just how deep Meg and your love was, I just didn't want to admit it to myself. Meg really is a lucky girl; you make sure you tell her that when you talk to her. Okay?"  
  
Ben: "All right!" Maria got a worried expression on her face.  
  
Ben: "Maria what is it?"  
  
Maria: "Ben.. There's something I haven't told you yet."  
  
Ben: "What is it? Maria? Please tell me!"  
  
Maria: "Annie knows that I went here to see you and so does Tess."  
  
Ben: "WHAT!!!!" Ben screamed at her.  
  
Maria: "I know it was stupid to confide in them, but after Meg left you the other night, I just thought that there might be a chance for us to be together as a family for Benjy and I told them that.!" She stopped, seeing how extremely angry Ben was at her, Annie & Tess.  
  
Ben: "You're right; you didn't think! Annie has had it in for Meg ever since she arrived here in Sunset Beach! How could you be so careless as to tell both Annie and Tess about this? Dammit Maria!" Ben yelled at her.  
  
Maria: "Ben, I'm sorry. I guess I was so focused on getting here and seeing you that I totally forgot about Meg's relationship with both Annie and Tess. I don't know what else to say about it!"  
  
Ben: "I need to find Meg. Where could she be?" Ben wondered.  
  
Maria: "Hold on for one second Ben.I don't think it's such a great idea to find Meg right now. If either Annie or Tess found her then she's probably really angry with both you and me. But to have our supposed second chance thrown in her face must have been very hurtful. Especially when it's you we're talking about."  
  
Ben: "What do you mean?"  
  
Maria: "Ben! Everyone in this town knows about your relationship with Meg. About how deep and profound it really is. Meg is head over heels in love with you and I think that she is about as hurt as one can get when you find out that your "fiancée" is trying to work it out with his wife. Can you even begin to imagine how she must feel right now?"  
  
Ben: "I didn't know you had so much sympathy for Meg. You guys really did grow close, didn't you?"  
  
Maria: "Yes we did. And that's why I can't bare to see her in pain and she is in great pain over loosing you."  
  
Ben: "I know that and that's why I'm in the process of making arrangements for you, Benjy and me for the moment. I don't want to reveal anything right now, but hopefully it'll be a part of Meg and my future.....Together!" Ben confessed.  
  
Maria: "Well.I'm looking forward to hearing what it's about when you're ready to reveal it."  
  
Ben: "Me too. Me too."  
  
Ben and Maria left 'The Deep'. Ben drove in the direction of 'Surf Central' and Maria drove home to get some rest.  
  
Meanwhile at 'Surf Central' Annie had begun to become more and more angry by the minute and was pounding her fists in Meg's face and stomach and Meg was moaning of pain. They rolled around on the floor, pulling at each other's hair and screaming at each other.  
  
Meg: "Oww, get the hell off of me you red - haired bitch!!" Meg screamed at Annie.  
  
Annie: "The hell I will! You have done nothing but cause misery for both Maria and me and it's time that you get a taste of your own medicine."  
  
Meg: "How have I caused Maria any pain? It's been the other way around. She hasn't caused me anything, but pain. From the first time I met her, she has been pure evil!!" Meg screeched at Annie.  
  
Annie: "You're going to pay for having said that. Maria is my best friend in the entire world and I will protect her from the likes of you and your family."  
  
Meg: "Get off of me!!!" Meg screamed at her one last time.  
  
Meg finally pushed Annie off of her and onto the couch and got herself up and stood still for a few minutes to catch her breath. Everything began to be fuzzy and finally she couldn't stand anymore and collapsed. Annie only saw this as an encouragement to fight again and jumped on top of Meg and began to beat her up again.  
  
Ben: "Annie stop it. Stop it right now!!" Ben yelled at her to make her stop as he and Ricardo entered 'Surf Central'.  
  
Finally Ben got a good grab of Annie's waist and threw her outside 'Surf Central', closed the door and hurried down to Meg again.  
  
Ben: "Meg?? Are you okay?" Ben could see that she was about to faint again and held onto her very tightly. Meg began to see 4 Ben's and knew that she was ill or something like that. Both Ben and Ricardo could see that she was trying to focus on something, but that it was impossible for her to do.  
  
Chapter 6 - Getting To The Hospital  
  
Ben: "Meg?? What do you need? Ricardo call for an ambulance I think she's about to pass out this very minute."  
  
Ricardo: "You've got it." Ricardo dialed 911 and ordered an ambulance.  
  
Ben: "Meg, listen to me. LISTEN! I don't know what I would do if you weren't around, so just hang on, okay? I need you, your family needs you. We all care SO MUCH for you and we always will. Please Meg!! Please stay with us."  
  
Meg began to clutch more and more at Ben's shirt and finally couldn't keep her eyes opened anymore and sank into unconsciousness.  
  
Ben: "Meg!! Meg??!" Ben screamed as the ambulance's sirens could be heard.  
  
Ricardo: "The ambulance will be here in a few minutes." Ricardo exclaimed.  
  
5 minutes later a team of rescuers came into 'Surf Central' carrying medical bags and a stretcher.  
  
Rescuer: "What happened to her?" Ben moved away and let them work on her and said  
  
Ben: "A woman has beaten her up, I came by and stopped it before it could get too out of hand."  
  
Rescuer: "What is her name?"  
  
Ben: "Megan Elizabeth Cummings. But she goes by the name; Meg Cummings." The rescuer took Meg's hand in his and said  
  
Rescuer: "Meg! This is Tom Wilson, I am a paramedic and I have some people with me who would love it if you would press me hand a little. Could you do that for me?"  
  
Ricardo: "Who was it that attacked her?"  
  
Ben: "Annie!"  
  
Tom: "She doesn't seem to respond to my voice. Sir??" He looked at Ben.  
  
Ben: "Yes!"  
  
Tom: "Which type of relationship do you have with Ms. Cummings?" Ben: "I'm her fiancée."  
  
Tom: "Would you mind coming down here while we prep her for the ride back to 'South Bay General'? You'll just need to talk to her about some of her favorite things, things she loves to do in her spare time or dreams she would like to see happen."  
  
Ben: "Sure thing." Ben answered as he sat down, taking her hand in his.  
  
Tom: "Try to get her to move the hand that's in yours at the moment. When she does that we'll know that we can move her without any complications."  
  
Ben: "Okay!" Ben began to stroke and caress her face and hair before beginning to speak.  
  
Ben: "Look at this mess we've gotten ourselves into now, huh? You know? If you keep this up, we'll just might miss our trip to Venice, Italy. Do you remember when we went on that gondola ride I had arranged for us at the marina. I remember you curling up against me and us saying, "I love you" in Italian and me reciting a Lord Byron poem. Then I surprised you with the red convertible. Having us live out your mom's fantasy was just as special to me as it was to you, I can tell you that."  
  
Tom: "Her pulse is getting stronger and her blood pressure is normal. Keep up the good work Sir, she's responding to your voice."  
  
Ben: "And in the evening when we had dinner at my place and danced and kissed, we both knew that it was right. It was just too bad that you pulled away. But luckily you showed up at my office door at 'The Deep', huh? I can't even express in words how good it felt to have you say that you felt it was right to be with me in this relationship. And then when I proposed to you when we went back to my place I was beyond speechless. No one have ever made me feel that blessed; EVER!" Ben kissed her gently on her lips and forehead and then Meg began to groan.  
  
Tom: "She's coming too. Ms. Cummings, if you can hear me squeeze the hand you're holding onto right now." She squeezed Ben's hand as hard as she could at the sound of Tom's voice.  
  
Tom: "Sir? You need to move out of the way. We need to get her ready for the ride to 'South Bay General', okay?"  
  
Ben: "Sure!" Ben let go of Meg's hand and stood up and went over to where Ricardo was standing and stood and observed the rescuers with Meg.  
  
Tom: "We're ready to go. You two can drive to 'South Bay' and see what happens to this lady." The rescuers bore Meg out on the stretcher and placed her in the back of the ambulance. Ben quickly climbed into his car and followed the ambulance to 'South Bay General'.  
  
Tyus had been on duty, when the rescue team had brought Meg into 'South Bay General'. Meg had lost consciousness again when they had reached the hospital and Tyus was worried about that.  
  
Tyus: "Trudy, call her parents; Hank and Joan Cummings and her sister Sara Cummings, the numbers are in her purse." He gave the purse to her.  
  
Tyus: "You guys can put her in exam room number 258."  
  
Rescuer: "All right." Just as they had pushed the stretcher with Meg on in the room, Ben arrived at the front desk. Tyus spotted him and waved him over.  
  
Ben: "Tyus!! Thank God, you're here. Is Meg going to be okay?"  
  
Tyus: "I don't know yet, Ben. I'm on my way to do an exam on her and Trudy is calling Hank, Joan and Sara. Why don't you have a seat and I'll contact you when I know anything, okay?"  
  
Ben: "All right, just hurry." Ben sat down with his face in his hands, while Tyus entered the room where Meg was in.  
  
When Tyus entered the room, Meg had regained consciousness and was asking for some water. An attending nurse gave it to her and began checking her vital signs.  
  
Tyus: "Hey Meg, how are you holding up?"  
  
Meg: "You tell me! Has anything happened to my baby.Please Tyus, tell me.!" She begged him.  
  
Tyus: "Meg! Take it easy OK! Your baby is fine, see for yourself.!" He replied pointing to the machine, next to her bed, which showed the baby's heartbeat.  
  
Meg: "You're absolutely 100 % sure that the baby will make it? Because." She started to become hysterical, and Tyus therefore placed his arm on Meg's shoulder saying  
  
Tyus: "Meg? Calm down. I'm 100 % sure that your baby is fine and now you only have one thing left to do and that's to tell Ben about this - he'll be thrilled." Meg: "Tyus, something happened last night and that something is what's telling me that I can't go back; EVER!"  
  
Tyus: "Meg, before you make any decisions Trudy has called your mom, dad and sister and they're waiting along with Ben to see you. Would you like to see them?" Meg thought about it long and hard and answered  
  
Meg: "I would like to talk to Ben. Bring Ben in here." Meg requested.  
  
Tyus: "Are you sure Meg? You just said that something happened between you and Ben last night, that would make it impossible for you to even consider him to be a father for your baby!"  
  
Meg: "I need to hear the truth from him. Please.!" She begged Tyus.  
  
Joan: "How did this all happen?"  
  
Sara: "Mom, you know that Annie has always had it in for Meg. I suppose she must have gotten the news from Maria and therefore gone to 'Surf Central' to bother Meg with it."  
  
Joan: "Thank God you got there in time Ben!" She exclaimed giving Ben a hug thanking him for saving her daughter - again.  
  
Hank: "I don't know about that Joannie. He's why she's in here in the first place!!"  
  
Ben: "What exactly is that supposed to mean Hank? I must admit that some of the choices I've made concerning the future I'm going to have with Meg have been bold, but I didn't for one second stop loving her!" He exclaimed truthfully.  
  
Joan: "How can you even say that Hank? Ben has been there for Meggie like no one else. Besides.Meggie is just fine and she'll be that way for the rest of her life." They saw Tyus coming towards them and asked him  
  
Hank: "How is my daughter doing?"  
  
Tyus: "Meg has regained consciousness and has asked to speak to one of you."  
  
Sara: "Who??"  
  
Hank: "That's pretty easily guessed Sara! Her mother and I off course.! Come on Joannie." He said, going to the room where Meg was in.  
  
Tyus: "HANK!! I'm sorry, but you or Mrs. Cummings aren't the ones' Meg wanted to see." He said stopping Hank from going into Meg's room.  
  
Hank: "WHAT?! Who else could she possibly wish to see? Sara?"  
  
Joan: "There is someone else, I'd choose if I was Meg!" She replied smiling at Ben, who smiled back.  
  
Sara: "Then say it Tyus! Who is it that my sister wishes to see?" She almost yelled out of impatience.  
  
Chapter 7 - What Went Wrong?  
  
Tyus turned to Ben and said  
  
Tyus: "Ben! She asked to speak to you, are you willing?"  
  
Ben: "Most certainly!" Ben smiled and followed Tyus to Meg's room.  
  
Hank: "Why would she ask to speak to Ben and not her family?" Hank asked a bit miffed.  
  
Sara: "Ben is her family, dad. Why can't you just accept him as Meg's husband and then we can all get on with our lives?" Sara asked irritated.  
  
Hank: "It's not that I don't want to accept him as her husband Sara. I don't think that he's good for her. He already has a wife and a son. They are living together, while Meg is living at 'Surf Central'."  
  
Joan: "Hank!! Ben loves Meg and you know it."  
  
Hank: "Do I? All I know is that our daughter has been in tears through her entire relationship with Ben Evans. And I will for one not allow it anymore."  
  
Sara saw Casey walking down the corridor and said  
  
Sara: "Mom and dad would you mind giving me and Casey some time alone to talk?"  
  
Joan: "Off course not sweetheart. Come on Hank, let's get some coffee." They walked into the cafeteria.  
  
Casey: "Sara, how is Meg doing?" Sara: "According to Tyus she is fine. She asked to speak to Ben and dad is a bit mad about it."  
  
Casey: "Yeah, well Ben hasn't brought Meg anything but pain lately."  
  
Sara: "What in the world has gotten into you Casey? You used to like Ben and now you don't! What has happened to make you change your opinion about him?"  
  
Casey: "Haven't you heard?"  
  
Sara: "If you're talking about Ben being with Maria at 'The Casita' then yes. I'm guessing that she's told you about her pregnancy too?" She guessed.  
  
Casey: "WHAT? Meg's pregnant?" He asked amazed.  
  
Sara: "Yeah.Don't tell her that I told you, OK? Meg and me are just getting close again. Mom and I know! Mom noticed Meg's enlarged stomach. If there's anyone who can read some one else then it has got to be Joan Cummings." She smiled.  
  
Casey: "And according to what I've heard then Maria went and told Annie & Tess about her being with Ben and then Annie went to throw it all in Meg's face."  
  
Sara: "I'm going to kill her." Casey grabbed Sara's shoulders and said  
  
Casey: "We need to talk first."  
  
Sara: "About what?" Sara asked unsure of his question.  
  
Casey: "About last night. After I left you I went to 'The South Shore Pier' and I ran into Meg and we talked about what you did."  
  
Sara: "You did??"  
  
Casey: "Yes, we did. Meg actually made me see something. She made me see that I have been neglecting you very much and I don't want to do that anymore."  
  
Sara: "What are you saying Casey?"  
  
Casey: "I'm saying that I'd like to start over with you. And we need to talk about this unsureness you have concerning your sister. I only love one member of the Cummings family and her name isn't Meg, it's Sara and I don't want you to ever forget that, okay?"  
  
Sara: "I'll try, no we'll try together. But what about all the things I did with Tim, concerning the Palm Springs incident?"  
  
Casey: "It will take some time, but I think we can get past it. And in time we'll have a relationship even bigger than the one before."  
  
Sara: "Okay!" Sara exclaimed as she threw herself in Casey's arms.  
  
Sara: "What about going down to the cafeteria to mom and dad and get some coffee with them, huh?"  
  
Casey: "What about your sister?"  
  
Sara: "Both Ben and Tyus are in with her now and I don't see why she can't speak to Ben alone. I just pray that they can survive this thing and be a family again."  
  
Casey: "Me too. I'd love to have my old friendship with Ben back and Meg deserves to finally be happy after everything they've been through."  
  
Sara: "Let's go and leave them alone. They need it." Casey and Sara walked off, holding hands.  
  
Meg had been resting waiting for Ben to come and was yawning when he showed up with Tyus in tow.  
  
Tyus: "I'll give you 20 minutes and then you'll need to leave Ben, because she needs her rest."  
  
Ben: "All right." Tyus left the room to give them some privacy. Ben walked to Meg's bed and sat down on the edge of it.  
  
Ben: "I'm glad you wanted to see me after everything that happened today and last night too."  
  
Meg: "All I want to know is if what Annie told me was true?"  
  
Ben: "What did Annie tell you? Meg?"  
  
Meg: "Did you or did you not make love to Maria?"  
  
Ben: "What happened between Maria and me wasn't love making, it was pure and simple sex."  
  
Meg: "And that's supposed to make it OK? You betrayed my trust Ben! You told me that you didn't have any romantic feelings for her anymore."  
  
Ben: "I was telling you the truth! I don't have any romantic feelings for Maria!"  
  
Meg: "REALLY! THEN WHY THE HELL DID YOU SLEEP WITH HER?!" She screamed at him.  
  
Ben: "I only slept with her because I needed to forget what I heard you tell Casey. I don't like you always confiding in him!"  
  
Meg: "Well.I'm sorry, but who the hell am I supposed to talk to then? You haven't exactly been available lately? And what is it that I said that supposedly drove you into Maria's arms?" She replied, wanting to let him know how much she'd been hurting.  
  
Ben: "I heard you telling him that you didn't want to have anything to do with me anymore. Afterwards I went to 'The Deep' and got drunk. In the morning Maria stopped by and wouldn't go before I told her what was wrong and one thing led to another and we had sex in my office."  
  
Meg: "How ROMANTIC!!!!!" She yelled angrily.  
  
Ben: "That's just it, I didn't want it to be romantic, and I just wanted to be left alone."  
  
Meg: "And you decided that having sex with Maria was the best way to go about having her leave you alone?"  
  
Ben: "I was drunk and I was devastated."  
  
Meg: "Well.That makes 2 of us!" She replied sadly.  
  
Ben: "What can I do to make this up to you?"  
  
Meg: "You can't do anything? You ruined any chances we had together when you had sex with Maria at 'The Deep'. And I'm going to ask you to do something for me."  
  
Ben: "What is it? I'll do anything!"  
  
Meg: "Good! Then I'm asking you to leave this room and my life and never come back. I want you to let me live my life."  
  
Ben: "Excuse me? I'm not going to let you go!" Meg: "Too bad!" She replied.  
  
Ben: "Too bad. After all of our years together, it's come to 'too bad'. What the hell is wrong with you?!"  
  
Meg: "Me? I'm not the one who doesn't have any taste in my choice of bedroom buddies."  
  
Ben: "I wouldn't go that far? Does the name Tim Truman ring a bell?"  
  
Meg: "Tim and I were never intimate!" She regretted her words as soon as they'd left her lips.  
  
Ben: "What? You mean.I was your first?" He asked, but knew the answer to his question, even though Meg had been in the start of her twenties when they'd made love for the first time in the cave in, he'd known that she was as innocent as she could be."  
  
Meg: "Just leave Ben!!" She replied tired.  
  
Tyus: "Ben? It's time to let Meg get some sleep." He said, as he entered the room again.  
  
Ben: "But.!"  
  
Tyus: "Please.It's for Meg's own good." He replied, when Ben would have objected.  
  
Chapter 8 - Telling Ben  
  
Ben had been able to make some living arrangements for Benjy, Maria and Tess. He knew that it would be impossible for Meg to keep on living with him and the entourage in his house. He had made a down payment on a house for them and had told Maria that she could pay him back when she got a job. He had had a very long talk with Benjy about Meg and even though he had his doubts about Meg caring for him, Ben had made him see that she did care and love him. All that was missing right now was to get Meg to trust him again and to move back in with him. As he was having these thoughts the doorbell rang and he ran to answer it.  
  
Ben: "Sara? What are you doing here?"  
  
Sara: "I need to talk to you!"  
  
Ben: "Is this about Meg? Did something happen to her? Sara, answer me dammit!!" He yelled at her.  
  
Sara: "Nothing has happened to her, yet. But she is about to make the biggest mistake of her life, if you don't stop her." She explained.  
  
Ben: "Come on in." They went into the livingroom and Sara began to say  
  
Sara: "I don't know if this was such a good idea!" She confessed.  
  
Ben: "Sara!! You said that Meg was about to make a mistake, now tell me what you meant dammit!!" He yelled at her.  
  
Sara: "Meg came by to see me last night and told me that when she had been admitted to 'South Bay General' her head and stomach had hurt. Tyus had explained to her that the head hurting was because of her fight with Annie."  
  
Ben: "And the stomach hurting? What was that due to? Sara?" He asked afraid that something was wrong with Meg and that he was the cause of it.  
  
Sara: "Maybe I shouldn't have come here. Meg really should be the one to tell you this."  
  
Ben: "Sara! If you know anything about Meg then tell me please. I love her more than anything and I care for her deeply. Please tell me what you know." He looked at her pleadingly.  
  
Sara: "All right. Tyus explained to her that her stomach hurting was due to her being....pregnant!!" She finished her sentence.  
  
Ben: "WHAT? Is Meg pregnant? Why didn't she tell me?"  
  
Sara: "Because of what happened between you and Maria."  
  
Ben: "WHAT! Is she going to raise the child alone, without a father, without me?"  
  
Sara: "That was her intention at first..." Ben interrupted and said  
  
Ben: "But now it isn't? Is she coming over here to ask me help her raise our child? Sara?" He asked when she showed a very sad face.  
  
Sara: "Ben, Ben, Ben!! Let me finish, okay?"  
  
Ben: "All right!" He raised his voice.  
  
Sara: "Meg told me that she was going to 'South Bay General' today and having an abortion." She confessed.  
  
Ben: "WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY!!!!!" He yelled at her.  
  
Sara: "Ben! Just calm down, please. I need you to hear me out. Besides her appointment isn't until 12 o'clock." She explained.  
  
Ben: "I have to get to her, before it's too late."  
  
Benjy: "Get to who daddy?" Benjy interrupted when he and Maria had arrived.  
  
Ben: "Benjy, Maria what are you doing here? I thought you were at your place?"  
  
Maria: "We were, but we were wondering if you'd like to eat dinner with us this evening."  
  
Sara: "Oh please!" She growled.  
  
Maria: "Do you have a problem Sara?"  
  
Sara: "You bet I do!!"  
  
Ben: "Benjy, why don't we go upstairs and pack the last of your things to take with you to mommy's new place, huh?"  
  
Benjy: "Okay daddy!" Benjy took Ben's hand and went with him upstairs leaving Sara and Maria alone in the livingroom.  
  
Maria: "Who the hell do you think you are talking to me like that in front of my son?" She screamed at Sara.  
  
Sara: "Me? What about you Latina!! You sleep with Ben and expect everything to work out and make you all one happy family!!!!" She screamed at Maria.  
  
Maria: "We are a family. Maybe not an ordinary family but we are one. We have a son together and all I care about is our son and that's all I am committed to right now."  
  
Sara: "My sister deserves to be with him. She always has and her and Ben and Benjy will be a happy family!!!!" She yelled at Maria.  
  
Maria: "I know that me and Meg aren't the best of friends right now, but I really hope that'll change in the near future."  
  
Sara: "Do you really expect Meg to forgive you for sleeping with Ben, knowing how much they were in love?" Sara asked.  
  
Upstairs in Benjy's room Ben had taken a seat on Benjy's bed and said  
  
Ben: "Benjy, can I talk to you for a second?"  
  
Benjy: "Sure daddy. What's up?" He asked.  
  
Ben: "I need to talk to you about Meg. I know that we've talked about this a lot, but there's still something I need to know."  
  
Benjy: "What daddy? What do you need to know?"  
  
Ben: "Will you be okay if me and Meg get married in the future? I'm not saying today but very, very soon."  
  
Benjy: "I just want you to be happy and I know that Meg is the only one who'll make you happy." He explained.  
  
Ben: "I am so very, very proud of you son!" Ben exclaimed.  
  
Benjy: "You are??" He asked confused.  
  
Ben: "You've always thought that Meg didn't want you here, but still to make me happy you want her to live here with me."  
  
Benjy: "I don't want you to be sad no more and the only way for that not to happen is for Meg to be here. But she isn't here, why not daddy? Did you have a fight?" Benjy asked.  
  
Ben: "Yes, yes we did. But I'm working on getting her to forgive me. So this means that you're ready to be friends with Meg? And be nice to her?" He asked hopeful.  
  
Benjy: "I sure am daddy." Ben smiled at his son and gave him a very big hug.  
  
Ben: "I love you so very, very much son."  
  
Benjy: "I love you too daddy!" Benjy exclaimed.  
  
Ben: "Let's go downstairs. Do you have all of your stuff?"  
  
Benjy: "I think so."  
  
Ben: "You don't live far from here so it wont be far to walk if you've forgotten some of your things. Let's go!" Ben exclaimed as he extended his hand to Benjy and they walked downstairs to Maria and Sara.  
  
Sara: "Do you really mean it when you say you only want what's best for my sister?"  
  
Maria: "Off course I do! What happened between Ben and me was a huge mistake, one I don't plan on reliving and neither does Ben. I'd just wish that he could convince Meg of that."  
  
Sara: "Me too. But if there's anything I've learned about him, then it has to be that he doesn't give up, especially not on Meg."  
  
Maria: "I know and I feel so bad for telling Annie about us sleeping together."  
  
Ben: "You should feel bad Maria." Ben exclaimed as he and Benjy entered the livingroom again.  
  
Maria: "Come on Benjy, we'd better get going. Do you have your things?"  
  
Benjy: "Yes mommy!" They left and then only Sara and Ben remained.  
  
Sara: "What are you going to do Ben?"  
  
Ben: "Find Meg and rescue our baby."  
  
Sara: "I hope you can Ben, I really do. Good luck!"  
  
Ben: "Thanks Sara, for everything!" He gave her a hug, grabbed his car keys and left the house heading for 'South Bay General'.  
  
Sara: "I pray that you'll find them both in time Ben. I really do. I want you and Meg to find the happiness you so desperately deserve." With having said that she left the house and went to 'The Shockwave' to get her mind off this and onto something else namely work.  
  
Chapter 9 - Having Doubts  
  
Meg was in the waiting room at 'South Bay General' waiting for Tyus to be finished with his patient. She kept thinking about what she was about to do. If Benjy and Tess hadn't shown up, this would have been the perfect time to have a baby. Her and Ben would have been married, happy and ready to start a family. Tyus' nurse Trudy pulled her out of her thoughts.  
  
Trudy: "Ms. Cummings? Dr. Robinson is ready for you."  
  
Meg: "Thanks." Meg replied and went into Tyus' office.  
  
Tyus: "Meg! It's so good to see you. How are you doing?"  
  
Meg: "I'm okay, the reason I'm here is to ask you to do something for me."  
  
Tyus: "Okay, what is it?"  
  
Meg: "I need you to abort my pregnancy." Tyus just looked at her, not believing what she'd just said.  
  
Tyus: "Abort your pregnancy? I thought that you and Ben..." Meg interrupted saying  
  
Meg: "There isn't any Ben and me. Not now and not ever."  
  
Tyus: "Meg, are you sure about this? And I mean are you 100 % sure you want to go through with this?"  
  
Meg: "I am!" She said in a confident tone, she didn't have.  
  
Tyus: "Okay, I had a cancellation this afternoon so you can have the procedure done then. There is 1 hour until it'll begin. Do you know what'll happen?"  
  
Meg: "Yes, I know. Do you need the consent from both the parents or what?"  
  
Tyus: "No, you have made the choice so it's only your consent I'll need. Meet me in exam room number 122 on the 3rd floor in an hour and then we'll get started. Bye."  
  
Meg: "Bye Tyus." Meg answered as she left his office and went up to the cafeteria to get some coffee.  
  
When she had bought some coffee she sat down at the only vacant table next to a woman with two small kids. The woman was telling them what to eat and to sit properly because it was a public place. She said all of the things that her mom had said to her and Sara some time ago and all of the things she had dreamed she'd say to her and Ben's future children, but that wouldn't happen now thanks to Maria.  
  
The woman pulled Meg out of her thoughts by saying  
  
The Woman: "I hope they're not disturbing you!"  
  
Meg: "No, not at all. I can only imagine how hard it must be to get them to calm down in public."  
  
The Woman: "It's very hard. Are you pregnant?"  
  
Meg: "Why? Is it that obvious?" Meg asked worried.  
  
The Woman: "No, not at all! You just seem the motherly type that's all. Is your husband here?"  
  
Meg: "No, I'm not married. My fiancée isn't here."  
  
The Woman: "Oh...You're here to have an abortion aren't you?"  
  
Meg: "I don't know!"  
  
The Woman: "What do you mean? If you don't mind me asking?"  
  
Meg: "I don't. I discovered that he'd cheated on me with a woman from his past after I'd found out I was pregnant with his baby."  
  
The Woman: "Aren't you Meg Cummings? The woman who's engaged to Ben Evans?"  
  
Meg: "The one and only." Meg replied sarcastically.  
  
The Woman: "I wouldn't worry about your fiancée going back to his wife if I was you."  
  
Meg: "Why not?"  
  
The Woman: "I've been following your relationship for years in the media and I can tell you that he's never looked as happy with that tramp as he has with you. But that's off course only an observation."  
  
Meg: "He's told me that too. I just don't know how to react. I mean I'm pregnant with his baby and I don't even know if he's committed to me anymore."  
  
The Woman: "I'd advice you to figure it out and perhaps talk to him about it." Meg and the strange woman smiled at each other and Meg replied  
  
Meg: "I think I will talk to my doctor first and hear his opinion first. Thank you so much." Meg said as she walked in the direction of Tyus' office.  
  
Meg ran as fast as she could to Tyus' office and asked Trudy  
  
Meg: "Is he in? And is he available?" Trudy nodded and Meg burst through the door.  
  
Tyus: "Meg?? What's wrong? Are you all right?"  
  
Meg: "I'm fine, I'm fine!" She replied as she closed the door and sat down.  
  
Tyus: "Do you have some questions about the procedure?"  
  
Meg: "No! I need your complete attention. If I was with you and I found out I was pregnant, would you still want me?"  
  
Tyus: "This is about Ben again isn't it? Meg!! He loves you and he wants you in his life, with or without a baby on the way."  
  
Meg: "How can you be so sure of that, I am not 100 % sure of that fact."  
  
Tyus: "Do you want to know why? Do you remember that rock you were wearing up until a few days ago? It showed what Ben thought and felt about you. He loves you and when he gave you that ring he was sure that he wanted to be married to you and to start a family with you."  
  
Meg: "We did discuss it before Benjy and Tess showed up."  
  
Tyus: "What??"  
  
Meg: "He told me that next time we were going on a vacation it might not just be the two of us. He told me that just before we were going on our honeymoon to Venice."  
  
Tyus: "Doesn't that tell you that he's serious about his feelings towards you? He loves you and he wants to spend his entire life with you. Everyone knows it and to get rid of this baby you're carrying will only make things worse."  
  
Meg: "I know....I've made a decision about the abortion Tyus."  
  
Tyus: "All right! What is it?"  
  
Meg: "I'm keeping the baby." She smiled and Tyus went around the desk and gave her a big hug and said  
  
Tyus: "I knew you'd see reason. Are you going to tell Ben then?"  
  
Meg: "I will in time. I just need to let it sink in first and then I'll worry about telling Ben about it."  
  
Tyus: "Just don't spend too much time thinking about it, I know Ben and he would want to know as the first."  
  
Meg: "Well, he won't this time. My mom, sister and Casey know." She laughed.  
  
Tyus: "What about your father??" Meg's smile faded and she continued.  
  
Meg: "He's another story. My father has grown a great dislike towards Ben. He used to like him. But that was before Maria, Benjy and Tess showed up and ruined everything."  
  
Tyus: "You do realize that you need to tell him, don't you?"  
  
Meg: "I do. I know that I'll soon start to show and then I'll be forced to tell him the truth. I just can't bear to think about that too. Ben is the next person, who'll know. And soon."  
  
Tyus: "I'm really happy to hear that. While we're on the subject we both know that Ben had a twin and because of that there's a very big chance of you carrying twins too. What I want to do is to perform an ultra sound on you tomorrow morning and we'll see what's hiding in your stomach."  
  
Meg: "That'll be fine. Do you have any idea of what a great friend you are to me and Ben?"  
  
Tyus: "I'm just doing my job Meg."  
  
Meg: "No, you're not. Your duties as a doctor don't even go as far as this. Convincing me not to get an abortion and then trying to convince me of Ben's commitment to me and this baby." She exclaimed as she rubbed her stomach.  
  
Tyus: "I'm just glad I could help. I could have been a father right now, and I didn't want you to throw away this chance of a lifetime because of something you saw and that you could have misunderstood."  
  
Meg: "I don't know what to think about what I saw, all I know is that I need some time to get over the shock of Ben being with Maria at 'The Deep'."  
  
Tyus: "I'll see you in the morning then??" He asked.  
  
Meg: "You sure will! Bye Tyus and thanks." She hugged him and left his office.  
  
Tyus: "You're welcome Meg!" He shouted at her retreating back." It still hurt him that Vanessa lost their baby or the baby, which Virginia inseminated into Vanessa. But he knew that it was for the best. Vanessa was in love with Michael and they deserved to be together without having that baby hanging over their heads.  
  
Chapter 10 - Saving A Child  
  
When Meg had stepped out of Tyus' office, Trudy waved her over.  
  
Trudy: "Ms. Cummings, have you decided on whether to keep the baby or not?"  
  
Meg: "Yes, I have. I'm keeping it."  
  
Trudy: "Thank God and praise him too. Do you need anything from me?"  
  
Meg: "Actually I do! Tyus said that he needed to see me tomorrow morning because he wants to perform an ultra sound on me to see if I'm carrying twins or not."  
  
Trudy: "Because it's genetic in the father's family, right?"  
  
Meg: "Exactly!! Do you have an appointment for me?"  
  
Trudy: "Let me see." She went through the appointment book and found a time, which wasn't taken.  
  
Trudy: "Yep, here we go. Tomorrow morning at 9 o'clock. Will your fiancée be joining you?" She asked and Ben answered.  
  
Ben: "Yes, he will!" Meg almost jumped in the air, because he scared her.  
  
Meg: "Ben! What in the world are you doing here?" Ben: "I think you know that." They looked intensely into each other's eyes until Trudy interrupted saying  
  
Trudy: "I have a little note for you to remember the appointment by Ms. Cummings." She said as she gave the little note to Meg. Meg turned to her and said  
  
Meg: "Thank you Trudy, I'll see you in the morning."  
  
Trudy: "Yes, we will." She went into Tyus' office, deciding that they needed some time alone.  
  
Ben took Meg's hand in his and led her to the area with the waiting chairs where no one was present at the moment.  
  
Ben: "I'm glad she left. We really need to talk Meg."  
  
Meg: "I know we do, but I'm kind of in a hurry and it'll have to wait, okay?" She asked him, praying he would understand that she needed some time alone.  
  
Ben: "No, it isn't okay!! We need to talk about everything and I'm not leaving and neither are you before we've talked this through!!" He raised his voice at her.  
  
Meg: "Who do you think you are talking to me like that?" She yelled at him.  
  
Ben: "I think I'm the father of the baby or babies you're carrying right in here." He said as he placed his hands on her stomach.  
  
Meg: "Ben don't, okay?" She replied as she removed his hands from her stomach and turned around.  
  
Ben: "Considering what we've been through with each other, no it's not just okay! I want to be with you Meg and with this child you're carrying. I don't want to be with Maria. I want to be with you!! Do you understand me Meg. YOU!!!!" He raised his voice at her one more time.  
  
Meg: "WAIT!" Meg realized for the first time that he knew about her being pregnant and turned around to face him again.  
  
Ben: "What??" He asked not understanding her outburst.  
  
Meg: "Who told you I was pregnant? Was it mom? Or was it my dear sister Sara?"  
  
Ben: "Meg??" He said, looking down in the ground. Meg: "Oh my God!! It was her! It was Sara wasn't it?? Wasn't it????" She practically screamed at him.  
  
Ben: "Yes, it was Sara who told me. She thought that you were going through with the abortion and pleaded with me to come and stop you."  
  
Meg: "Well, since it's pretty obvious I didn't go through with it, you can leave me alone."  
  
Ben: "No, no I can't. I love you and I love everything about you, including our future children. I will not allow you to push me away again. I almost lost you the last time you moved out of our house and I wont let that happen again." He promised.  
  
Meg: "YOU WON'T ALLOW IT?? Who do you think you're talking to? I can do as I please and by the way, the second you slept with Maria you gave up any right you had to say something about me or about this baby I'm carrying!!!!" She raised her voice at him once more.  
  
Ben: "What happened between me and Maria was a mistake, one I wont be making again. I'm only human Meg. All I need from you is to say that you'll at least try to forgive me and let us build a safe and secure home for our child who's growing inside of you." He begged her.  
  
Meg: "Ben?? I don't know, I just don't know!"  
  
Ben: "Yes, you do. You know right in here." He said pointing to her heart.  
  
Meg: "I really do want to be with you, I'm just scared that something will happen again and pull us apart and this time it wont just be us hurting it'll also be our child who'll end up hurt." She looked at him with teary eyes.  
  
Ben: "I know you're scared, I'm scared too. But I have faith in you and in our love for each other. All I'm asking from you is to really think about what kind of life it would be to raise this child alone and then how it would be to raise it with me. Just think about it, okay darling?"  
  
Meg: "Don't call me that."  
  
Ben: "Why? It's true. I want to call you that along with a long number of other names. You're my darling, my baby and a lot of other things. I want to be with you Meg and only you."  
  
Meg: "What about Benjy??" She asked insecure. Ben: "I had a long talk with him, the other day and today. He has agreed to try and be your friend, because he knows how much you mean to me."  
  
Meg: "I think this all sounds swell and everything, but I still do need some time to think all of this through."  
  
Ben: "I know you do and I'll give you that time. As long as you promise to really think it through before you make your final decision about this. It's not only our lives on stake anymore Meg, it's our child's too."  
  
Meg: "I know that. So what now?" She asked afraid.  
  
Ben: "Why don't I show up in the morning to be by your side at the ultra sound I overheard you talking to Trudy about and we'll see what happens after that, all right?" He asked her not sure of what her answer would be.  
  
Meg: "I'd really love to have someone with me at the ultra sound and I do want you to play an important role in this childs life."  
  
Ben: "Good!!" He said looking deeply into her eyes. He moved closer to her and took her face in his hands and began first gently kissing her upper lip and then her lower lip. He coaxed Meg into using her tongue and she began stroking his tongue with hers. He moved his hands to her lower back and pressed her against him. She slid her hands up his chest and backed away from him, when the kiss became too intense for her liking when they were in this stage of their relationship.  
  
Ben: "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that. Please say that you forgive me??" He began apologizing immediately.  
  
Meg: "Ben! It's okay really. It felt wonderful, but it's too soon. Let's just wait until tomorrow and see where we stand then, okay?"  
  
Ben: "Okay!! I need to get going, I have some things to take care of at 'The Java Web'. So, I'll see you okay??"  
  
Meg: "Okay." He left the hospital and when Meg spotted the phone booth, she decided to give Sara a call.  
  
She dialed the number to 'The Shockwave' and Sara picked up.  
  
Sara: "It's 'The Shockwave', Sara speaking!" She answered.  
  
Meg: "This is her extremely pissed off sister calling!" Sara: "Meg????" She asked confused.  
  
Meg: "Do you have another sister I don't know about??"  
  
Sara: "Off course not, but I thought you were about to have an abortion."  
  
Meg: "Sure you did! Sara, why did you tell Ben? I didn't want him to know."  
  
Sara: "So, you didn't do it?"  
  
Meg: "No, I didn't do it. I have an appointment with Tyus in the morning and Ben is going with me. I still don't like what you did, but I guess there was some good behind it."  
  
Sara: "I'm glad you feel that way. I'd better let you go and good luck tomorrow, all right?"  
  
Meg: "Okay! Bye sis!"  
  
Sara: "Bye Meg!" And the two sisters hang up and Meg went home to 'Surf Central' to relax and get herself ready for the morning where she'd discover if she was carrying one child or more.  
  
Chapter 11 - Together Again  
  
Meg had needed to go for a walk and get some fresh air, so she walked to 'The South Shore Pier'. She was standing at the poles when she heard someone ask  
  
Ben: "Do you know the time by any chance?" She turned around and spotted Ben.  
  
Meg: "Ben! What in the world are you doing out so late?" She asked confused.  
  
Ben: "I could ask you the very same thing. My God Meg! You're pregnant, you can't just wander around out here at night like this!"  
  
Meg: "Since when did you become my guardian??" She asked mad.  
  
Ben: "I only care about you and I don't want you to get hurt."  
  
Meg: "I know, I'm sorry for my outburst!" She apologized.  
  
Ben: "It's okay. What are you doing here?" Meg: "I needed some fresh air, so I went for a walk. Casey and Sara went out of town this afternoon, so I was pretty lonely at 'Surf Central' all by myself!" She complained.  
  
Ben: "Do you want me to walk you home?"  
  
Meg: "It's really not that far, I'll manage. Bye." She exclaimed as she turned around and began climbing the stairs when Ben yelled  
  
Ben: "WAIT!!!!" Meg stopped dead in her tracks and asked  
  
Meg: "What is it?"  
  
Ben: "I can't let you go like this." She turned around, walked down the stairs to him and asked him  
  
Meg: "Why not?" Ben hesitated to answer her question but said  
  
Ben: "I can't make it without you anymore Meg! I can't even sleep properly at night, because I worry about you and the baby. And when it's not the baby I'm worried about it's you!"  
  
Meg: "Ben, I don't know what to say." Ben took a step forward and placed his hands around her neck and said  
  
Ben: "Say you'll come back to me. Please Meg. Say it!" He begged.  
  
Meg: "There's nothing I would love to do more than to be with you forever, but!" She hesitated.  
  
Ben: "But you still don't trust me because of my sleeping with Maria."  
  
Meg: "I think there's one way for me to look past what you did and forgive you for it."  
  
Ben: "What is it? I'll do anything!!" He confessed.  
  
Meg: "I need you to tell me why. Why did you do it Ben?" She asked as she removed his hands from around her neck.  
  
Ben: "Earlier that evening I saw you and Casey under the pier where you told him that you didn't want to see me ever again. And I guessed I just snapped. I couldn't believe what you told him, so I left without either you or Casey spotting me and I fled to 'The Deep' and drowned my sorrows in liquor. The next thing I knew I was having sex with Maria on the couch in my office." He explained. Meg: "I'm sorry about what you heard, but there." She hesitated for a moment.  
  
Ben: "But what????" He asked confused.  
  
Meg: "I saw you and Maria leaving together in your car in the daytime that day. I then overheard Tess telling Benjy that you and Maria had gone to 'The Casita' to be together. I then went there and found champagne glasses, clothes thrown everyone, your cuff links etc. I returned to Sunset Beach and ran into Casey and poured my heart out to him. And he was also sad about Sara so we talked our problems through with each other. I don't know how to erase your hurting over my friendship with Casey because he's my friend and I wont give up on our friendship ever. But the only reason why I talk to him is because I've felt like we've been miles away from each other emotionally." She explained.  
  
Ben: "Meg! I swear to you. I have never taken Maria to 'The Casita'. That's our place, it's the place where we found each other again and I'd never bring Maria there. Please believe me!" He begged her.  
  
Meg could see in his eyes that he was telling her the truth, but still she couldn't forget the pain she'd felt when she'd found Ben & Maria's things at 'The Casita'.  
  
Ben: "You still can't forget about it can you?" He asked her.  
  
Meg: "Ben...I don't know. I've always seen the love you and Maria shared as something unbelievable and when I found out about your being together it made that love even more real than it was in the first place."  
  
Ben: "It isn't like what you are saying. It wasn't a love like ours Meg. It didn't even come close to compare to our love."  
  
Meg: "Do you really mean that?" She asked with tears in her eyes.  
  
Ben: "Yes, I mean it. I love you very much. Much more than I've ever loved Maria. Please believe me on this Meg. Please!" He begged her.  
  
Meg: "I do believe you Ben. I love you too." Ben grinned at Meg, placed his hands around her neck and began kissing her passionately urging her to open her mouth fully and thrusted his tongue inside her mouth and they both began moaning of pleasure.  
  
Ben: "Did you say you were alone at 'Surf Central'?" Meg nodded her head yes.  
  
Meg: "Let's head home." They went to 'Surf Central' arm in arm.  
  
As they reached the doorstep at 'Surf Central' and Meg unlocked the door, Ben turned to Meg and asked her sincerely  
  
Ben: "Are you sure about us making love tonight? I can wait until you've given birth or until you're sure about the two of us." He explained.  
  
Meg: "I want to feel your arms around me all night long and I want to become connected to you again. Make love to me Ben!" She begged him while kissing him fully on his lips.  
  
Ben bent down and placed an arm around her back and under her legs and opened the door and carried her up to her bedroom. He placed her on the floor and while she went into the bathroom to freshen up, he found some candles and lit them. He turned the covers on Meg's bed down and awaited her entrance from the bathroom.  
  
When she entered the bedroom, she went straight into Ben's embrace, lifted her head and began kissing his chin, moving onto his throat and neck and finally reached the buttons on his shirt and removed it from his body. Ben reached behind Meg and unzipped her top, threw it on the floor, unzipped her skirt and slid it down her legs and Meg stepped out of it. While Meg lowered her eyes to his pants and unbuckled, unzipped and slid his pants down his legs with his trousers, Ben ran his hands over Meg's stomach ending at her waist.  
  
Ben ran his hands from Meg's waist and to her back where he unsnapped her black bra. He then lowered his eyes to her panties and slid them down her legs, while she had her hands on his chest. Meg lead Ben to her bed and laid down on the bed, urging him to lay on top of her with some use of her index finger, which he did. They began kissing passionately using their tongues and finally began making love with the help of Jennifer Lopez singing "Ain't It Funny"  
  
"Ain't It Funny" performed by Jennifer Lopez  
  
It seemed to be the perfect thing for you and me It's so ironic you're what I had pictured you to be But there are facts in our lives We can never change Just tell me that you understand and you feel the same This perfect romance that I've created in my mind I'd live a thousand lives Each one with you right by my side But yet we find ourselves in a less than perfect circumstance  
  
And so it seems like we'll never have the chance  
  
CHORUS:  
  
Ain't it funny how some feelings you just cant deny And you can't move on even though you try Ain't it strange when your feeling things you shouldn't feel Oh, I wish this could be real Ain't it funny how a moment could just change your life And you don't want to face what's wrong or right Ain't it strange how fate can play a part In the story of your heart Sometimes I think that a true love can never be I just believe that somehow it wasn't meant for me Life can be cruel in a way that I can't explain And I don't think that I could face it all again I barely know you but somehow I know what you're about  
  
A deeper love I've found in you and I no longer doubt You've touched my heart and it altered every plan I've made And now I feel that I don't need to be afraid  
  
CHORUS  
  
I locked away my heart But you just set it free Emotions I felt Held me back from what my life should be I pushed you far away And yet you stayed with me  
  
I guess this means  
  
That you and me were meant to be  
  
(Jennifer Lopez, J.Lo)  
  
Chapter 12 - The Appointment  
  
The morning doves were singing and the sun was shining brightly onto the sleeping faces of Ben and Meg. But they had off course also been up till the wee hours of the morning last night. Meg was the first to awaken and she smiled to herself when she spotted Ben in her bed and knew that only good things were to come. She fortunately began remembering that she had an ultra sound scheduled for this morning and she didn't want to miss that. She got out of bed very carefully and went into the bathroom and stepped into the shower. As she was soaping her body she felt some very familiar hands encircling her and knew who it was the second his lips touched her neck.  
  
Ben: "Good morning my darling!" He exclaimed as he continued nibbling on her neck.  
  
Meg: "Good morning to you to! I hope I didn't wake you?" She asked smiling.  
  
Ben: "You didn't. Besides we have to make that doctor's appointment, don't we?"  
  
Meg: "You remember that??" She asked in awe.  
  
Ben: "Off course I remember it. This is our first child together."  
  
Meg: "And your second." She admitted sadly. Ben turned her around to face him and said  
  
Ben: "This baby may be my second in other peoples eyes but to me it's my first. I didn't even experience Benjy as an infant and that's what I'm looking forward to. And that's exactly what I will experience with our little miracle here." He ran his hands around her stomach as he said that.  
  
Meg: "I know I'm being silly but my parents don't even know about it yet and neither does Maria. Don't you think that it's time to tell them?"  
  
Ben: "How about after we have been at Tyus' we swing by 'The Shockwave' and by Carmen's?" He suggested.  
  
Meg: "Are you sure you wouldn't mind??"  
  
Ben: "I'm positive. Besides Benjy needs to know about his being a big brother sooner or later." Meg placed her hands around his neck and leaned in to his mouth and gave him a tender kiss saying  
  
Meg: "I love you so much and you'll make the perfect father to our baby!!"  
  
Ben: "And you'll make an even more incredible mother." He exclaimed as he too leaned into her mouth and gave her an even tenderer kiss.  
  
Ben had just finished showering after Meg had stepped out. He took a blue towel from the rack and placed it around his waist and entered Meg's old room. Meg hadn't noticed him because she was stepping into her gray skirt and was having some difficulties in reaching the zipper. Ben went to her and zipped it.  
  
Meg: "Thank you for that!!" She exclaimed.  
  
Ben: "You're very welcome my love." He smiled at her as she turned around to face him. She was only wearing panties, a skirt and a strapless bra.  
  
Meg: "We really should get a move on if we're going to make that appointment with Tyus at 9 o'clock!" She said and broke the intense stare they were creating.  
  
Ben: "Yeah. We'd better." He said as he gathered all of his clothes and went back into the bathroom. 15 minutes later they were both fully clothed and walking to Ben's silver BMW convertible. They were walking hand in hand enjoying the sunny weather.  
  
Meg: "It's such a lovely day!" She exclaimed as they reached the car.  
  
Ben: "It sure is. Perhaps we can enjoy it more when we're finished at Tyus' and told your parents, Benjy & Maria about the news??" He suggested as he opened the car door for Meg and she climbed in and they drove off towards 'South Bay General'.  
  
They were sitting reading a baby book in the waiting area when Tyus came out from his office telling them  
  
Tyus: "You can come on in now guys!" Ben and Meg got up from their seats and entered Tyus' office.  
  
Tyus: "Meg! You can go into that room and change into a paper gown. Trudy is already in there." He said pointing to a door in his office.  
  
Meg: "All right! I'll be right back." She kissed Ben on the lips and disappeared into the room.  
  
When Meg entered the examinations room Trudy told her that she'd step out for a minute to give Meg time to change. As she changed her clothes she began remembering the time when they'd been here awaiting the results on Benjy's paternity test. She'd already then been surprised of Ben's natural behavior towards Benjy and then off course how romantic it had been of him to having arranged the picnic with champagne at 'Smugglers Cove' and then their visit to 'The Casita' where they'd made love. That had been one of the best days of her life and Ben had truly meant what he'd said then, it had just been a pity that things had turned out like they had. But that didn't matter anymore because they were together now like they were meant to be all along.  
  
*** FLASHBACK ***  
  
Tyus: "Okay, Benjy, this is gonna be a breeze. All I have to do is draw a little blood from your arm and that's it."  
  
Benjy: "I don't want to do it."  
  
Maria: "Maybe we should just do it another time."  
  
Ben: "Well, if you think so, of course then Benjy might get another doctor and miss out on Dr. Robinson's Wild West show."  
  
Benjy: "What?"  
  
Ben: "You didn't know? Yeah, Ol two barrel Tyus is the fastest shot this side of the Mississippi. He'll have this thing in and out of your arm before you can say Doc Robinson."  
  
Tyus: "Thanks partner."  
  
Meg: "You owe me big time."  
  
Ben: "Oh, I do, do I?"  
  
Meg: "Uh-huh."  
  
Ben: "Then maybe I should start repaying you this afternoon."  
  
Meg: "What do you have in mind?"  
  
Ben: "You better come with me and find out."  
  
Meg: "I hear the ocean. Are we going swimming?"  
  
Ben: "Better."  
  
Meg: "Skinny dipping maybe?"  
  
Ben: "Hmmm, well, maybe not quite that good, but will this do?" He showed Meg the picnic.  
  
Meg: "Oh, Ben! This is wonderful!" Ben: "You, me, a blanket, and enough champagne to forget about everything but each other."  
  
Meg: "This will do just fine."  
  
Meg: "I can't believe that you did all of this, that we did all of this. This is one of the best days of my life."  
  
Ben: "Well, you remember that, okay? Cause no matter what happens from here on in, no one can take this away from us."  
  
Meg: "Wow, first a picnic on the beach and now this. You're just full of surprises today, aren't you?"  
  
Ben: "Well, since I was showing you how much I love you I thought it only fitting we end up here."  
  
Meg: "Where we realized we were meant to be together?"  
  
Ben: "And we will be. No matter what happens today."  
  
Ben: "Wish we could stay here forever wrapped up like this."  
  
Meg: "Tucked away in our nice little hide a way from the world. That would be wonderful."  
  
*** FLASHBACK ***  
  
A little while later Meg was laying on the cot in the examination room holding hands with Ben while Tyus rubbed the censor of the ultra sound machine over her stomach.  
  
Tyus: "If you look at the screen you'll be able to see a leg, an arm and a head."  
  
Meg: "Oh my God! That's our baby." She said with tears running down her cheeks.  
  
Ben: "This is absolutely amazing." He said rising Meg's hand to his lips and kissing it.  
  
Tyus: "You might want to change the baby to plural. You're having babies - you're having twins." He gladly informed them.  
  
Ben: "You're kidding me right?"  
  
Tyus: "Nope. In a couple of months there'll be two more babies in the world delivered by you Meg.  
  
Ben: "Thank you baby!" He kissed Meg tenderly on the lips smiling wider than ever.  
  
Meg: "I certainly can't take all of the credit!" She giggled.  
  
Chapter 13 - Palm Springs  
  
During Meg's pregnancy Ben and her had discovered what Tim & Tess had done and they'd confronted them with it and they hadn't denied it. Tim had left town to go back to Kansas, but Tess had agreed to stay with Benjy until he was completely comfortable with Ben, Meg and Maria. Hank had agreed to accept Ben as a part of Meg's family and he was also thrilled when he heard about his new title as a grandfather.  
  
Ben & Meg had gotten married at a quiet ceremony on the beach, and on the very spot where they'd met each other January 7th 1997. Ben had worn a pair of light brown pants along with a white shirt with a few buttons opened, which showed off his chest hair. Meg had worn a white summer dress, which reached her to her ankles and had a slit from her right knee and down. She'd had her hair up in a very fresh hair due, which had been held by small buckles, which had been decorated with white roses. Her bouquet had consisted of mainly white roses and then an amount of baby breath. Her bride maids' had once again been Sara, Gabi & Vanessa and Ben's best men had been Casey, Michael & Tyus. Ben & Casey had talked and now they had their friendship back. Meg was now 7 months pregnant and she loved every minute, but she was also very big, because of her carrying twins. But Ben had convinced her of her always-present beauty.  
  
They had now arrived at 'The Casita', which was another topic they'd discussed and they wouldn't let Tim or anyone take that away from them. They'd decorated it differently and placed everyday things there like a refrigerator and a table and chairs to eat at.  
  
Ben was carrying Meg over the threshold of 'The Casita' as Meg was giggling at his attempt not to let on that she was heavier than what he was used to.  
  
Meg almost lost her breath when she saw that he'd arranged for 'The Casita' to almost consist of white roses. There were multiple vases with white roses and the bed was covered in white rose petals.  
  
Meg: "Thank you for this Ben.!" She sighed, turning to him teary eyed. Ben: "Hey, hey, hey.No crying here, OK?" He smiled at his absolutely stunning wife as he dried her tears away.  
  
Meg: "I can't help it.Why are you always so good to me?"  
  
Ben: "Because I love you and these 2 miracles." He said, going down into seeing level with her ever - growing stomach and leaned in to kiss it softly through her wedding dress.  
  
Meg loved his lips on her stomach, because that also convinced her of the fact that Ben was exactly where he wanted to be.  
  
Meg: "I love you!" She exclaimed, towing her fingers through his black set of hair.  
  
Ben: "That's good.Because I love you more with each passing day Mrs. Evans!" He exclaimed, standing up and kissing her lower lip, while placing his arms around her waist and rubbing them up and down between her shoulder blades and her waist. He then continued by placing his lips on her throat going downwards towards her cleavage, making Meg moan his name out loud  
  
Meg: "Oh God! Ben! You do really know where all of my special places are, don't you?"  
  
Ben: "Have you ever doubted that?" He asked, separating them for a second or two.  
  
Meg: "No!" She laughed with him, as he placed her hands on his shirt, begging her to proceed as he closed his eyes.  
  
Meg ran her fingertips up and down the shirt until her fingers found the buttons and unbuttoned them one after one until she separated the 2 sides of the shirt and slid it off of Ben's muscular body. She then raked her fingernail from his collarbone and to his navel, where it disappeared into his belly button.  
  
Ben: "God Meg! What ever you're doing.!" He moaned.  
  
Meg: "Yeah.!" She replied, loving that she was in control this time.  
  
Ben: "Don't stop.!" He moaned back, taking her right hand into his and kissed all of her fingers plus her wedding band and engagement ring and then finally the palm of her hand, which he knew she loved him kissing and caressing.  
  
Meg finally got the courage to slide her right hand out of his grasp and slid both her hands down to his belt buckle and slid the buckle out of the loops and threw it onto the floor. She then continued to unzip his pants and at last they ended up around his ankles. Meg bent down and made him step out of the pants and furthermore removed his shoes and socks. She then got back up, but Ben turned her around so that her back was against his warm chest and apparent erection.  
  
Ben slid his arms around her waist and began to stroke her shoulders with his wicked tongue. He then moved his hands to the zipper on the back of the dress and unzipped it till it couldn't go any further and witnessed Meg's magnificent bare back, and the strapless soft pink pregnancy bra she was wearing along with the matching pregnancy panties. He slid the dress off of her and turned her around to face him. Meg grabbed the edge of his trousers and walked with him as he led her to the bed with their heads pressed closely together.  
  
Ben: "Are you sure about this?" He asked, knowing how unsure she'd been about his arousement of her body since she'd grown to the size she was now.  
  
Meg: "I've never been more sure of anything!" She replied truthfully, looking straight into his blue eyes.  
  
Ben laid down on the bed on his back, and made her sit just over his erection. He began to caress her stomach and waist wanting her more than ever before. Meg lowered her head to his chest and began with his nipples giving them some tentative licks before letting Ben please her, like he'd planned.  
  
Several hours later Ben & Meg were lying in the bed, still joined. Ben was the first one to awaken. He glanced down on the beautiful woman, lying next to him.  
  
Ben: "How is it that I can't believe how blessed I am? You're everything to me darling!" He exclaimed, kissing her hair softly.  
  
Meg: "No more than I am!" She replied, surprising Ben by being awake.  
  
Ben: "I thought you were sleeping?"  
  
Meg: "Nah.I woke up an hour ago!" She confessed.  
  
Ben: "An hour ago? What's wrong?" He asked since she didn't usually have trouble sleeping unless they were having problems.  
  
Meg: "I just keep wondering if I'll be able to be a good mother to our babies, that's all! But I'm very happy about Benjy being proud of having me as his step mom. According to his teacher ms. Dominguez.He's been bragging about being a brother twice at the same time."  
  
Ben: "I heard about that. But you do know that I'm not stopping with our 2 children and Benjy, don't you?" He asked wickedly.  
  
Meg: "I know what you're saying sweetie, I just think that I need to get used to having a 6 - year old and 2 new born in our house, before planning to make new members of the Evans' family." She smiled at him.  
  
Ben: "Yeah.I know.!" He sighed, laughing.  
  
Meg: "I think I'm going to splash some water in my face. I'll be right back." She said gathering the sheets around her body before kissing him and going into the bathroom.  
  
Just as Meg had gone into the bathroom Ben's cell phone rang, and Ben reached out to the bed table to answer it saying  
  
Ben: "Ben Evans here!" He replied.  
  
Caller: "Hi Ben, this is Tyus Robinson!"  
  
Ben: "Hey Tyus.Is something wrong?"  
  
Tyus: "No, no, no! I just wanted to know if Meg was feeling all right. Considering how far along she is and that something tells me that you 2 didn't stay up all night talking about baby names." He joked.  
  
Ben: "You're right about that. We'd better get our heads together and decide on some names and soon too."  
  
Tyus: "So Meg is OK?"  
  
Ben: "Yeah.Other than not being able to sleep as long as me then she's just fine. We're coming home later today. Meg didn't want to be away from home any longer than absolutely necessary."  
  
Tyus: "She's becoming a domesticated wife fast, huh?!"  
  
Ben: "Yeah.She is and she's loving every minute of it." He laughed when he spotted Meg in the doorway of the bathroom looking at him.  
  
Tyus: "I'd better get going, but give her my best and I'll see you on Friday for Meg's next check up!"  
  
Ben: "You sure will. Bye!" And the 2 men hung up with each other. Meg: "What am I and what am I loving every minute of?" She asked lying down between Ben's legs spreading the sheet around her over them both.  
  
Ben: "Oh.That was Tyus, he just wanted to know if we were taking it easy and he asked if you were becoming a domesticated wife quickly."  
  
Meg: "Oh.Nothing's wrong right?"  
  
Ben: "Nothing at all.He just wanted to remind us of our appointment with him on Friday."  
  
Meg: "There's no way I could ever forget that appointment. He's turned out to be a wonderful friend, hasn't he? I'm so glad that you wanted him to be one of your grooms men."  
  
Ben: "Well.Since it was partly because of him you came back to him then I didn't exactly have any choice in the matter." He laughed, while giving her temple a moist kiss.  
  
Meg: "God! I can't believe how happy I am right now! Can you?"  
  
Ben: "Off course I can! I always knew we'd build a family together and I was also the one who said that Benjy would come around, and he did didn't he?"  
  
Meg: "He sure did! Thank you for loving me, husband!" She smiled back at him, before resting comfortably in his protecting embrace.  
  
Chapter 14 - A New Day Has Come  
  
3 months had passed and the babies had now been home for almost a week. Meg had only passed her due date on 1 day. She'd delivered 2 healthy babies; a baby boy and a baby girl. Ben & Meg had named the baby boy Thomas Eric Evans and the baby girl Samantha Jayne Evans. When they'd been born Thomas had weighed 6 pounds and 2 ounces and Samantha had weighed exactly 5 pounds. They both had completely black hair and even though all babies had blue eyes when they were born, Ben was absolutely sure that they'd both have crystal blue eyes like Meg.  
  
It was early in the morning and Ben was staring at his stunning wife lying next to him sleeping like a baby. The babies were now sleeping in the nursery. But Ben had the habit of bringing them into the bed, when he woke up, which was beginning to irritate Meg a little bit.  
  
Meg's eyes suddenly began to flutter open. When she woke up, her and Ben just gazed into each other's eyes not saying anything.  
  
Ben: "Good morning Megan darling!" He exclaimed bending down to kiss her tempting mouth.  
  
Meg: "Good morning honey!" She replied kissing him back.  
  
Ben: "Did you sleep well?"  
  
Meg: "Yeah.Oh my God! How did you do it? How did you keep your feet from going into the nursery to fetch Thomas and Sam?" She joked.  
  
Ben: "Ha, ha, ha!! I'm going to make you regret that.!" He smiled secretly as his fingers neared her waist and began to tickle her.  
  
Meg: "No, no, no!! Stop, stop.Please Ben.!" She screamed, which made Thomas wake up and cry for his parents'."  
  
Meg: "See what you did?" She pointed a finger into his chest.  
  
Ben: "Me? It wasn't me, who was screaming!"  
  
Meg: "You made me scream, oh wise one!" She giggled, while going out of bed and putting on her white satin robe over her white night dress.  
  
Ben: "Are you sure you don't want me to go?" He offered.  
  
Meg: "I do think that it's be he wants. Besides you don't have these.!" She said pointing to her breasts before leaving Ben alone in their bedroom.  
  
When Meg entered the nursery Benjy was already in there, looking in on Thomas for her.  
  
Meg: "Hey you!" She greeted Benjy, tussling his hair a bit.  
  
Benjy: "Good morning Meggie! Are they ready to come up yet?"  
  
Meg: "I think so.Did you sleep all right?"  
  
Benjy: "The best, why? Did they cry?" He asked warming her heart of his interest of the babies.  
  
Meg: "No, they didn't. Did you Thomas?" She asked the baby, lifting him out of the crib and onto the changing table.  
  
Benjy: "Can I help?" He asked.  
  
Meg: "Actually you can Benjy. Can you go downstairs to the kitchen and get me the new diaper wipers I bought yesterday? They are in the shopping bag on the counter."  
  
Benjy: "Sure!" He smiled before leaving Thomas, Sam & Meg alone in the nursery. Benjy had been so happy about having a new sister and brother that he'd been there for assistance any time Ben or Meg needed it.  
  
Benjy: "Here you go Meggie!" He said giving her the package with diaper wipers and standing next to her again.  
  
Meg: "Thank you sweetheart." She replied, changing Thomas' diaper. Before she had finished Thomas was fast asleep.  
  
Meg: "I don't believe it.!"  
  
Benjy: "What is it?" Meg bent down and lifted Benjy into her embrace and showed him Thomas - sleeping.  
  
Meg: "Look at that.Here I am changing his diaper and then he just falls asleep on me." She laughed together with Benjy.  
  
Ben: "Good morning son!" He said from the doorway standing in his jogging clothes.  
  
Benjy: "Good morning daddy. I was just helping mommy with Thomas." That comment made Ben & Meg look at each other with amazement in their eyes.  
  
Ben: "That's good news son. It seems to me as little Thomas slept right through it. What did you do to him?" He jokingly asked.  
  
Meg: "Will you just get out of here, you tickling monster?" She replied, kissing his softly on the lips before he went on his jog.  
  
Meg: "Why don't we place Thomas back in his crib and go downstairs and start making some breakfast. You have to be ready for Maria to pick you up."  
  
Benjy: "I know.Why can't I stay here with you, daddy, Thomas & Sam?" He sighed.  
  
Meg: "Benjy? You know the rules.Monday - Thursday with your father, Thomas, Sam and me and Friday - Sunday with your mommy and Tess!"  
  
Benjy: "I know.!" Meg placed Thomas back in his crib and then placed Benjy's hand in hers and sat down in the rocking chair with him on her lap.  
  
Meg: "It isn't because your daddy and I don't want you here. It's because the court says that your mommy should spend time with you too. Now.I know that it's difficult to turn your back to this house when Thomas & Sam are here too, but they're not going anywhere. There isn't anything else going on, right?"  
  
Benjy: "Mommy is seeing another man?"  
  
Meg: "Oh.I see. Don't you like him?"  
  
Benjy: "He's OK, but he isn't daddy."  
  
Meg: "Benjy? Just like I wont replace your mommy, then that man will never replace your daddy. You do realize that don't you?"  
  
Benjy: "Yeah.He has a daughter my age too. His name is Ross and the girls name is Lisa. She's good at soccer, but not nearly as good as you!" He added proudly, which made Meg smile.  
  
Meg: "Since that is settled, let's get some breakfast into you." She smiled as they went hand in hand into the kitchen.  
  
Benjy & Meg had made pancakes, fresh brewed coffee and French toast and off course orange juice. Meg was warming Thomas & Sam's bottles, when Ben came through the patio doors, his body filled with sweat.  
  
Ben immediately lifted Benjy up in his arms but put him back down when he complained about his father smelling like a pig.  
  
Meg: "Benjy!!" She scolded, while laughing at his comment.  
  
Benjy: "Well.He does." He smiled, before going upstairs to get dressed.  
  
Meg: "Call me on the buzzer if you need any help, OK sweetheart?"  
  
Benjy: "OK mommy!"  
  
Ben: "That's a new title for from Benjy isn't it?" He asked, as he kissed her hello. Meg: "It sure is. I think I know what's the reason for his not really being so keen on being over at Maria & Tess'."  
  
Ben: "What is it?"  
  
Meg: "Maria is having a relationship with a man named Ross, who has a daughter by the name of Lisa, but she's not nearly as good at soccer as I am." She grinned proudly.  
  
Ben: "He's probably just felt left out."  
  
Meg: "I think so too. There's pancakes, fresh brewed coffee, French toast and orange juice if you're interested."  
  
Ben: "Hmm! You guys been busy, huh?" He asked kissing her softly on the lips.  
  
Meg: "Someone has to make food in this house you know?"  
  
Ben: "I know.!" He replied, pulling Meg into his embrace and loosening the robe around her body.  
  
Meg: "What are you doing? Aren't you hungry?"  
  
Ben: "Absolutely!" He moaned, fastening his mouth onto hers.  
  
Meg: "I meant for food, besides Benjy is going to be down at any given minute."  
  
Ben: "So.!" He replied, nibbling her neck.  
  
Benjy: "I'm all ready!!" He exclaimed from upstairs.  
  
Meg: "Told you.!" She teased upon seeing the stricken look on Ben's face over his dissapointment.  
  
The 3 of them sat down and began to eat breakfast.  
  
Ben: "So.Benjy? How about just the 2 of us doing some surfing next Monday?" He asked wanting to make Benjy feel just as important as the twins.  
  
Benjy: "All right!" He exclaimed happily, which made Ben & Meg extremely happy and they knew it that instant that their dream of a perfect family had happened and their names were Benjamin, Thomas & Samantha.  
  
The End 


End file.
